Part 44 (2/2)

So she could still try to make the best of both worlds

”You've always been wonderfully generous!” she whispered ”I can never repay you”

Fro Eric knew that he had failed His own sacrifice neither stirred nor shaenerosity; the volley was over, and the shuttlecock had dropped to the ground

”Have you tried?” he asked sharply

There was a whistle and a jolt, as the train began to htly and turned on his heel

Mechanically he set his watch by the station clock The train had co on ti,” he ine ”Five weeks since we becaovern unattended by the side of the road Soer than himself paralyzed the malevolent muscles of his arm, and the car swerved into safety

”_The slavery of centuries and her own short-lived bloo have robbed woman of open initiative in sex-warfare: she forces norance Instead of striking a bargain, she then insists on nominal surrender, which never deceives her But she is deceived by her own false valuation; she can only see herself in the iuile of all_”--From the Diary of Eric Lane

CHAPTER NINE

THE EDUCATION OF BARBARA NEAVE

”The mob decrees such feat no crown, perchance, But--why call crowning the reward of quest?”

ROBERT BROWNING: ”_Aristophanes' Apology_”

1

In the second week of Novean to rehearse ”Mother's Son,”

and, after two attendances, Eric retired to Lashht reach London any day, and he could not face anor wait to be told of an encounter between Jack and Barbara His own rash nanimity had set her free and kept hient that he more than half suspected a strain of kindly contempt in her; she had once told hiether because he would always be too gentle to keep her in orderAny day now ht see him dismissed like an outworn servant

With native caution he did not pledge himself to stay at Lashmar for a specified time; that would depend on Jack, on Barbara, on his oork and a dozen other things It was essential that he should keep hiularly in Jack's movements, and he walked over to Red Roofs on the ave hiave it with reservation, as though she were conferring a favour; and, when he left, she walked with hied to dick Benyon As he congratulated her, Eric re by the sun-dial, when she had told hi papers coupled his name with Barbara's, when she had pointed out, too, that they could end the gossip in a day by ceasing to antly happy; each had lost the other without finding the perfect substitute; but Agnes, with greater wisdom than he had ever sheards Barbara, had resolved that a secondary place was not enough

After that he avoided the Warings, but Sybil returned one night from Red Roofs with a report that Jack was expected there within three days He had seen a specialist in London and was forbidden to attempt any brain-work for three months; even the easy experiment in Paris had been a et back to London, for with Jack as his neighbour, invalided and bored, it would be necessary to see him daily The Lanes were, fortunately, too much absorbed in their own life to be suspicious of sudden changes in Eric's plans; affectionate regret greeted his announce to London after the week-end, and his sense of the draht that his train would pass Jack's soht al froretting that they had notto walk over to the Mill-House the moment that he arrived It was followed by another, full of nation

_”If you don't want to see me, you needn't_,” he wrote ”_But for Heaven's sake don't bolt to the country theto London and then bolt back to London theto the country_”

Of course it was all badinage; and yet, if Jack knew everything, the badinage e

”I' ht hi letter from hisvery well, on the whole, though the wound on his head was still visible

”_He wants to see you_,” wrote Lady Lane, ”_and he particularly asked when you would be down here again I' so h to work, and the sentence of three reat disappointment; but, if he'll feed up and rest, there's no reason why he shouldn't be as well as he ever was; I'lad to say that his uncle has behaved quite well

After doing NOTHING all these years for hines or his own brother, he has at last shewn so If Jack has to be a partial invalid all his life, Lord Waring will give him whatever money's necessary to let him live anywhere he likes and take up any hobby he likes; if he wants to ine that of Jack), there'll be a proper settlement_”