Part 14 (1/2)

”Oh, a dream-lady,” said Christine, and her eyes brightened a little. ”No wonder you thought her too good for Ned. Well, that brings me to what I came to tell you. I have decided to marry Edward Hickson.”

There was a blank and rather flat pause, during which Riatt took his cigarette from his mouth and very carefully studied the ash, but could think of nothing to say. The thought in his mind was that Hickson was a dull dog.

”Have you told Hickson?” he asked after a moment.

She shook her head. ”No, and I shan't till I get more accustomed to the idea myself. It isn't exactly an easy idea to get accustomed to. The prospect is not lively.”

”I dare say you will contrive to make it as lively as possible.”

She smiled drearily. ”How very poorly you do think of me! I shan't make Ned a bad wife. He will be very happy, and Nancy and I will be like sisters. By the way, you're not in love with Nancy, are you?”

”Certainly not.”

”Good. They all say it's a dog's life.” She yawned. ”Oh, isn't everything tiresome! If I had had any idea my filial deed in going to find my father's coat would have resulted in my having to marry Ned, I never would have gone.”

Riatt struggled in silence. He wanted--any man would have wanted--to ask her whether there wasn't some other way out; but knowing that he himself was the only other way, he refrained and asked instead: ”Is there anything I can do to help you?”

”There is,” she responded promptly. ”Rather a disagreeable thing, too.

But it will be all over in an instant, and you can take your afternoon train and forget all about us. Will you do it?”

He hesitated, and she went on:

”Ah, cautious to the last! It's just a demonstration, a _beau geste_.

It's this: You see, the situation, as I have discovered from a little talk with Ned, is more ugly than has yet appeared. They are holding one thing up their sleeve. Ned, it seems, noticed the track of your feet leaving the house, and it did not stop snowing until the morning. That was rather careless of you, wasn't it? Nancy can make a good deal of that one little fact.”

”What people you are!”

”Rather horrid, aren't we? Did Laura keep telling you what a wonderful advantage it would be for you to be one of us? I wish I could have seen your face.”

”Yes, she did say something of the advantages of belonging to a group like this. Do you know what any man who married you ought to do with you,” he added with sudden vigor. ”He ought to take you to the smallest, ugliest, deadest town he could find and keep you there five years.”

”Thank you,” she said. ”You have achieved the impossible. You have made Ned seem quite exciting. Hitherto I have taken New York for granted, but now I shall add it to his positive advantages. But you haven't heard yet what it is I want you to do.”

”What is it?”

”I want you to make me a well authenticated offer of marriage before you go for good.”

”Miss Fenimer, I have the honor to ask you to marry me.”

”I regret so much, Mr. Riatt, that a previous attachment prevents my accepting--but, my dear man, that isn't at all what I mean. Do you suppose Wickham and Nancy will believe me just because I walk out of this room and say you asked me to marry you? No, we must have some proof to offer.”

”Something in writing?”

She hesitated.

”No,” she said, ”one really can't go about with a framed proposal like a college degree. I want a public demonstration.”

”Something with a band or a phonograph?”

She was evidently thinking it out--or wished to appear to be. ”Not quite that either. This would be more like it. Suppose I send for Nancy to come here now and consult with me as to whether I shall accept your offer or not. If I told her before you, she could hardly refuse to believe it. And you would be safe, for there isn't the least doubt what advice she will give me.”