Part 4 (1/2)
CHAPTER THREE.
WOMAN'S WORLD.
The more I reflected, the greater mystery appeared to surround my pretty acquaintance of that well-remembered evening.
Three days went by, and, truth to tell, I remained in an uncertain, undecided mood. For a year past I had been the closest friend and confidant of Muriel Moore, but not her lover. The words of love I had spoken had been merely in jest, although I could not disguise from myself that she regarded me as something more than a mere acquaintance.
Yet the strange, half-tragic beauty of Aline Cloud was undeniable.
Sometimes I felt half-inclined to write to her and endeavour to again see her, but each time I thought of her, visions of Muriel rose before me, and I recollected that I admired her with an admiration that was really akin to love.
On the third evening I looked in at the St Stephen's Club, finding Roddy stretched in one of the morocco-covered chairs in the smoking-room, with a long whisky and soda on the table by his side.
”Hullo!” he cried gaily, as I advanced, ”where did you get to the other night?”
”No, old fellow,” I answered, sinking into a chair near him; ”ask yourself that question. You slipped away so very quickly that I thought you'd met some creditor or other.”
”Well,” he answered, after a pause, ”I did see somebody I didn't want to meet.”
”A man?” I asked, for my old chum had but few secrets from me.
”No; a woman.”
I nodded.
At that instant a thought occurred to me, and I wondered whether Roddy had encountered Aline, and whether she was the woman he did not wish to meet. ”Was she young?” I asked, laughing.
”Not very,” he replied vaguely, adding, ”There are some persons who, being a.s.sociated with the melancholy incidents in one's life, bring back bitter memories that one would fain forget.”
”Yes, yes; I understand,” I said.
Then presently, when I had got my cigar under way, I related to him what had afterwards occurred, omitting, however, to tell him of the remarkable fusion of my crucifix. The latter fact was so extraordinary that it appeared incredible.
He listened in silence until I had finished, and then I asked him--
”Now, you've had a good long experience of all kinds of adventure. What do you think of it?”
”Well, when you commenced to tell me of her loneliness I felt inclined to think that she was deceiving you. The alone-in-London dodge has too often been worked. But you say that she was evidently a lady--modest, timid, and apparently unused to London life. What name did she give you?”
”Cloud--Aline Cloud.”
”Aline Cloud!”--he gasped, starting forward with a look of inexpressible fear.
”Yes. Do you know her?”
”No!” he answered promptly, instantly recovering himself.
But his manner was unconvincing. The hand holding his cigar trembled slightly, and it was apparent that the news I had imparted had created an impression upon him the reverse of favourable.
I did not continue the subject, yet as we chatted on, discussing other things, I pondered deeply.
”Things in the House are droning away as usual,” Roddy said, in answer to a question. ”I get sick of this never-ending talk. The debates seem to grow longer and longer. I'm heartily weary of it all.” And he sighed heavily.