Part 19 (1/2)

”I can venture to promise that I won't be openly rude,” Millicent agreed with a faint smile.

”Can't you go a little beyond that, my dear?”

The girl, seeing the look in her eyes, yielded to an impulse which prompted her to candor.

”What there is to be said had better be spoken now,” she replied. ”I have confessed that I knew what was expected--Clarence showed that he knew it, too--and the idea was not altogether repugnant to me. But since he came back from Canada there has been a change in both of us. How or why I can't explain, but we have drifted apart. I don't know whether this will go on--I don't understand myself--I only know that I am as anxious for his welfare as I always have been. It must be left to him; there is nothing you must urge me to do.”

Mrs. Gladwyne looked regretful, but she made a sign of acquiescence and rising came toward the girl and took her hand.

”What I could do I have done--badly perhaps,” she said. ”I can't blame you. I am only sorry.”

She went out in a few minutes and left Millicent in a thoughtful mood.

Looking back on the past, the girl recognized that she had been fond of Clarence--which was the best word for it--and that she would have married him had he urged it. He had, however, hardly been in a position to do so then, and she remembered that she had in no way regretted the fact. This was, she thought, significant. Then the change had gradually come about.

She saw his faults more clearly and it grew increasingly difficult to believe that she could eradicate them. What was more, during the past few weeks she had once or twice felt scornfully angry with him. She had tried not to yield to the sensation, and now she wondered how it had originated and why she was less tolerant.

As she considered the question, a shadow fell upon the sunlit lawn and looking up she saw Lisle approaching with a creel upon his back. She started at the sight of him and once more felt her cheeks grow hot; then she smiled, for the half-formed suspicion that had flashed into her mind was obviously absurd. He saw her the next moment and strode toward the open window.

”We got a few good white trout, fresh run,” he said. ”It occurred to me that you might like one or two of them.”

He glanced at the long French window.

”May I come in this way?”

”I've no doubt you could do so, but out of deference to conventional prejudices it might be better if you went round by the usual entrance.”

”Charmed!” he smiled. ”That's easy.”

”Would you rather have it hard?”

”That wasn't the idea,” he answered. ”I only felt that a much greater difficulty wouldn't stop my getting in.”

Millicent laughed.

”If one of my neighbors made such speeches, they'd sound cheap. From you they're amusing.”

He affected to consider this.

”I suppose the difference is that I mean them. Anyway, I'll walk around.”

She gave him some tea when he came in, and afterward admired the fish.

”They're well above the average weight,” she said.

”We had two or three that would beat them,” Lisle declared. ”Miss Crestwick came along and corralled the finest.”

”Was the explanation essential?” Millicent inquired with a smile.

”That was a bad break of mine. So bad that I won't try to explain it away.”

”I think you are wise,” Millicent retorted with a trace of dryness.