Part 42 (2/2)

”You know this,” she said ”I'll play it for you”

CHAPTER XII

THE SHOOTING PUNT

On theafter her intervieith Ji-table by aat Whitelees She had meant to tell a friend about her lover, but now did not know if she would or not For one thing, thewas cold and dreary and she felt dull Coht to use would not co outside, the laas street dead leaves, and the bare trees tossed their branches in the wind Shallow pools spread about the terrace and the hills were blurred by un and Evelyn did not like winter in the country

She put down her pen Last night's thrill had gone and she was languid When she had broken his reserve, Jiht; but she had been forced to break down his reserve and this carried a sting For solaht was getting di

Jierated notion of her worth She had meant to justify his confidence, but she knew this would be hard, because she knew herself In a sense, Jiht jar She had self-control, but she was not patient Moreover, it looked as if Jih she had some money she was not rich Thrilled by keen excite, she had told him that poverty did not daunt her, but when she cao without the expensive refine of an effort, she banished her disturbing thoughts She was going to marry Jim Perhaps she could mold him a little Yet she did not know; she did not want to conventionalize hiedness Then she began to wonder why she had asked him to tell nobody yet Girls she knew had found an obvious satisfaction in exhibiting their lovers, but she had felt a need for concealment This was not because she feared her mother's disapproval; it looked as if she had unconsciously tried to leave open a way of escape By and by a car rolled up the drive and Mordaunt ca to the town and wondered whether you wanted anything I could get for you,” he said

Evelyn said he oods her mother had ordered, and he was silent for ain the hall last evening?”

”No,” she said, sine this?”

”Jiave arette case”

”He is often preoccupied,” Evelyn rejoined, with a careless laugh ”I expect he was thinking about his dykes; he talked about the marsh”

Mordaunt studied her She was calestion was plausible

”Jim is not always happy in his choice of subjects, but I won't sympathize with you,” he said ”You could have stopped him if you had liked You often stop reed ”For one thing, it is not much trouble You knohen one is bored”

”Your tastes are ”

”After all,” said Evelyn, ”one likes soo, and when his car rolled away Evelynto the sareed This had so for a time, but soon lost its chars one knew and valued, even if one's standard of value was not altogether just Evelyn ade, but the dreary day accounted for soht's thrill had begun A few minutes afterwards Mrs Halliday came in and they talked about household matters

In the meantime, Mordaunt drove to the town and stopped at a lawyer's office There were three partners in the fired Bernard Dearhaentleht and respectability, but Holbrook supplied the driving force and Mordaunt i them Holbrook's room, in a tall old house that looked across a quiet square, was handsomely furnished, and Mordaunt sat down in a comfortable chair

”I want to borrow some money for about six months,” he said

”How much do you want?” Holbrook asked, and when Mordaunt told hihtful Mordaunt had borrowed before and had punctually repaid principal and interest

”We are not otiated the last loan rather as a favor than a ently ”For all that, you lend al business would keep you going long”

”If we invest in anything outside the regular high-class securities, we run soreat,” Mordaunt replied ”I soenerally lucky Well, some friends floated a small private company to develop a West Indian estate and we have spent much of our capital on new plantations The value of our produce is rising, but we need funds to carry us on until the crop is shi+pped and have agreed to a fresh levy I must pay my share”