Part 55 (1/2)
Never before had Boyd known the least constraint in Mildred's presence, but now he felt the rebuke behind her careless manner, and it wounded him deeply. He did not speak, and after a moment she went on, with an abrupt change of subject:
”So that funny little house over there against the hill is where the mysterious woman lives?”
”Who?”
”Cherry Malotte.”
”Yes. How did you learn that?”
”Mr. Marsh pointed it out. He said she came up on the same s.h.i.+p with you.”
”That is true.”
”Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you write me that she was with you in Seattle?”
”I don't know; I didn't think of it.” She regarded him coolly.
”Has anybody discovered who or what she is?”
”Why are you so curious about her?”
Mildred shrugged her shoulders. ”Your discussion with Willis Marsh that night at our house interested me very much. I thought I would ask Mr.
Marsh to bring her around when we went ash.o.r.e. It would be rather amusing.
She wouldn't come out to the yacht and return my call, would she?” Boyd smiled at her frank concern at this possibility.
”You don't know the kind of girl she is,” he said. ”She isn't at all what you think; I don't believe you would be able to meet her in the way you suggest.”
”Indeed!” Mildred arched her brows. ”Why?”
”She wouldn't fancy being 'brought around,' particularly by Marsh.”
From her look of surprise, he knew that he had touched on dangerous ground, and he made haste to lead the conversation back to its former channel. He wished to impress Mildred with the fact that if he had not quite succeeded, he had by no means failed; but she listened indifferently, with the air of humoring an insistent child.
”I wish you would give it up and try something else,” she said, at last.
”This is no place for you. Why, you are losing all your old wit and buoyancy, you are actually growing serious. And serious people are not at all amusing.”
Just then Alton Clyde and a group of people, among whom was Willis Marsh, emerged from the cabin, talking and laughing. Mildred arose, saying:
”Here come the Berrys, ready to go ash.o.r.e.”
”When may I see you again?” he inquired, quickly.
”You may come out this evening.”
His eyes blazed as he answered, ”I shall come!”
As the others came up, she said: