Part 11 (1/2)

”Iin the train,” he answered

”You won't on Saturday Sometimes, Eric, I find your little practices and habits and rules rather tiresome; I must educate you out of theht”

It was a disappointing dinner for Eric, as, after coth of the table In conversation Mrs Shelley always gave people as good for thely set next to an art editor, who tried to wheedle from her an article on ”Eastern Decoration in Western Houses,” while Eric found himself sandwiched without hope of escape between Mrs Manisty, who discussed poetry which he had not read, and the flamboyant novelist, who had lately discovered and insisted on exposing ain the novel-reviewers of the London press

If dull, theas his dinner of the night before with Lady Poynter Barbara seeh she touched his hand on her way to the door and turned, with patent consciousness that she was being watched, to give hi smile Mrs Manisty also turned, before she could control her curiosity, to see for whom the shting a cigar, he found two of the ether, six groups self-consciously set themselves to discover a subject of conversation_communique_ or the port The three alien pianists had reduced themselves to a Polish sculptor, an Irish novelist and a Scottish portrait-painter By sitting next to the journalist, Eric saved hi and recuperated at leisure after the exhausting boredoain, feeling disappoint-room when he arrived--(but she would come any moment)--and a little proprietory thrill of pleasure when she walked straight across the room to him But her manner, her use of his Christian name--(and Mrs Shelley knew that they had first o)--her clear-voiced, unabashed habit of flirtation, the parting shbours interrupted the ill-hu hiue

”Er, me name's Sullivan, Mr Lane Ye know Priestley, I expect?

Priestley and I have been concocting a great sche a girl's head for the frontispiece Well, since I saw Lady Barbara to-night, there's only one head that will do for me And Priestley's the onewould be enough Do ye think she would be willing?”

Eric sested ”She's fairly well-known, of course; everybody'd recognize it”

”Ah, don't distress yourself! The book's sy noould ye sound her? Priestley and I don't know her, ye see And, as ye're a friend----”

”We'll ask her, e get upstairs,” Eric answered

Three tentative chords broke the silence overhead, and a wo

”_butterfly_,” the journalist jerked out as though he were in the last heat of a competition ”Second act, isn't it? Where Madahted I never think _butterfly's_ as bad as soh-brows try to , I mean,” he added prudently

Eric held up his hand

”_Please!_ I want to hear this”

”_One fine day, we'll notice A thread of s on the sea In the far horizon, And then the shi+p appearing:-- Then the trim white vessel Glides into the harbour, thunders forth her cannon

See you? He is coo to meet him Not I I stay Upon the brow of the hillock and wait, and wait For a long ti

Fro athe hillock

Can you guess who it is?

And when he's reached the suuess what he'll say?

He will call 'butterfly' fro, Hold myself quietly concealed, A bit to tease hi: and then, a little troubled, He will call, he will call: 'Dear baby-wife of e-blossom!'

The names he used to call ar to go out He lighted it again and turned to his neighbour with an apology, as the voice ceased and then seemed to revive with a last sob of ecstasy

”She did that very well Shall we go upstairs? I should like soars with us”