Part 40 (2/2)
”I'll tell him so, and go armed with a revolver next time.” She noticed an inquiring look in Lorraine's eyes, and added: ”Don't look so serious, Lorry; he is old enough to be my father. He likes a little amus.e.m.e.nt, the same as you and Baby Hermon.”
She turned away as she spoke, and did not see the swift deepening of the look of inquiry, nor a certain strange expression that flitted across Lorraine's face; and almost immediately the door opened, and Alymer Hermon walked in unannounced.
”Hullo, Hal!” he exclaimed - ”it's quite a long time since I ran into you here.”
”Hullo, Baby!” she retorted. ”Why, I declare, you are beginning to look quite a man.”
”If you don't mind I'll pick you up and carry you all the way down the stairs to the street; then you'll see if I'm a man or not.”
”Tut; any big creature could do that! Got any briefs yet?”
”I have.”
Lorraine looked up instantly with an eager, questioning glance - while Hal asked gaily:
”What is it?... I suppose the original holder is sick, or dead, or something, and you are a stop-gap.”
”You are wrong, Miss Sharp-tongue. I hold the brief entirely on my own. It hasn't even anything to do with any one in Waltham's Chambers.”
And still Lorraine, with s.h.i.+ning eyes, watched his face.
”I suppose,” said Hal , ”the other side have got a very small man, and they wanted a big one to frighten him?”
”Wrong again. The other side has Pym, and he is quite six feet in height.”
”Then perhaps he looks clever, and they believe in contrasts.”
”I shall carry you down to the street yet,” threateningly; ”you are running grave risks.”
”So is the poor man trusting his defence to you.”
”It happens to be a lady.”
Hal clapped in her hands.
”Of course,” she cried; ”now we are getting at it. The lady chose you because she thought your wig and gown becoming. How many interviews shall you be having with her?”
”I couldn't say, but we had one this afternoon.”
”And was she very charming? Did she call you Baby?”
He shrugged his shoulders and turned to Lorraine.
”I only waste my substance trying to cope with any one as obtuse as Hal. Is she going to stay to dinner?”
”I'm afraid so,” smilingly.
He took up his stand on the rug, with his back to the fire and looked down at Hal on her footstool.
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