Part 9 (1/2)
”I said I didn't know _many_ men,” corrected Daphne. ”But those I do know I know pretty thoroughly. They're very easy to understand, dear things! You always know where you are with them. Now, girls are different. Did you notice that boy whom we pa.s.sed just now, who went pink and took off his hat. That's Bobby Gill--a flame of Cilly's. I'm going to have a lot of trouble with Cilly's love-affairs, I can see.
She falls down and wors.h.i.+ps every second man she meets. I believe she would start mooning round the place after _you_ if you weren't so old,” she added. ”Cilly's a darling, but what she wants----”
She plunged, with puckered brow and tireless tongue, into a further tale of hopes and fears. Stiffy's schooling, Nicky's boots, the curate who _had_ to come--all were laid upon the table. Even the Emergency Bag and Wednesday's joint crept in somehow.
They were almost home when she concluded.
Suddenly Apollyon inquired:
”Do you know the name of that little hollow on our right? Is it Tinkler's Den?”
”Yes; we often have picnics there. How did you know?”
”It is part of Lord Kirkley's estate, as you are probably aware; and his lords.h.i.+p, finding like most of us that he has not sufficient money for his needs, has asked me to come and have a look at the ground round Tinkler's Den on the off-chance of our finding coal there.”
Daphne turned upon him, wide-eyed and horror-struck.
”You mean to say,” she gasped, ”that you are going to dig for coals in Tinkler's Den?”
”I can't tell you, until----”
Apollyon paused. A small hand was resting on his sleeve, and a very small voice said beseechingly--
”Don't--_please_!”
”Very well, then: I won't,” he said, in a matter-of-fact fas.h.i.+on; and they resumed their walk.
”I hope you haven't been bored,” said Daphne, the hostess in her rising to the surface as the shadow of the Rectory fell upon her once more. ”Your ears must be simply aching, but it's such a treat to talk to any one who knows about things. I never get the chance to ask advice. I usually have to give it. Dad and the boys are so helpless, bless them!”
They were pa.s.sing through the wicket-gate. Daphne suddenly paused, and looked up at her guest with more mischief in her eyes than her brothers and sisters would have given her credit for.
”It's queer,” she mused, ”that you should sell coals. _We_ thought you _shovelled_ them!”
”Explain, please!” said Sir John.
Daphne did so. ”We _had_ to call you something,” she concluded apologetically. ”Do you mind?”
”Not at all. I have been called a good many names in my time,” said Sir John grimly.
”What do your friends call you?” asked Daphne--”your intimate friends.”
”I am not sure that I have any.”
Daphne surveyed him shrewdly, with her head a little on one side.
”No--I should think you _were_ that sort,” she said gravely. ”Well, what do your--do other people call you?”
”Most of them, I believe,” said Sir John, ”call me 'Juggernaut Carr.'”
CHAPTER SIX.