all I be

ture keep

the worl

but twen

won't need me any more," he assured Marie. "Take care o

ed, "No, I p

easily. She had written to Aunt Madge, making light of her

"And I like the hotel, and there are nice people here, and everyon

r as she was writing and caugh

. He pointed to the word

e was glad that he co

said. "I have never had su

d to hear, and it gave him a sense of relief. If she was happy, that was all right. He thought thin

of golf with her this 57 afternoon."

all be all right; I am going to

." He laid his hand on her shoulde

Would Aunt Madge be as blind as Chris, she wondered.

fine. The days were hot and

ng of him since their marriage, but she had peeped at the moonlit sands and sea from her window as she was

ponse. "I promised to play Feathers a hundred up at half-pas

challenged Chris to another, and quite unintentionally Chris had forgotten all about hi

e lay awake with the moonlight pouring through the open window. "Ot

een dried up. Her only longing was that he should be happy, an

ess-with complete foolishness, too, pe

took it without demur. He liked things to go smoothly. If he 58 was havin

ly. He told Mrs. Heriot that Marie

aughed. "How queer! Do

ding-she'll be

y believed what

never tired. She could be out on the links all day and dance all night, and still look

leaving the hotel they

in front of his frie

oing?" he asked

hoed with sarcasm. "Where do y

he knew that he did not like her or approve of her friendship with

she said. "Don't you recognize the

he explained to Chris as t

e any women," C

so?" she asked,

ck by her silence, and turned his

ed rather friendly with your

m glad to say he is. They get on very wel

" She pretended that she had

e missed her venomous little shaft with regard to his wife and Feathers. His was a mos

she and Feathers had taken such a liking to one another. It argued well for a future in which Chri

d of golf, and Mrs

n they sat down to rest on a grassy slope

e was one of those women who call all men by their

re-marry, because if she did so she would lose the money left her by her husband, but all

she sat, chin on hand, staring down at

and an enlarged liver. As she looked at Chris, with his handsome face and long, lithe figure, she

at he liked her. They had many tastes

est to marry him; but she knew that Chris had no money, and life without money was to Mrs. Heriot very much as a motor-car 60 would be wit

. She had been very anxious to meet his wife and find

! She had made a life study of the opposite sex, and she knew witho

y, "I was ever so surprised t

ver his eyes. "Most people were, I think. P

it?" she pursued. "Quite r

nown her all my life-we w

eyes wide. "Cousins or

's father

and yawned. He knew t

y another rou

dship was on too secure a basis to permit of such a decided snubbing. She

ay deliberately,"

I? Perhaps I did

what

I ventured to be interested in your

hey met his, and, manlike, C

n and he knew that she had 61 always sho

" he said lamely. "And there is nothing t

"But that is so like a man- never wi

could not imagine what it

on. "I am beginning to think that your wife must be a ver

ned to think it unreasonable of him to do so. After all, he had known Mrs. Her

, that my wife is the only woman in the world for whom I would h

always smiled sweetly when she w

ays said what a particularly charming girl she is-so unspoilt, so unsoph

e. He was shrewd enough to detect the sting beneath her sugary words, and all his pride, if not

ish child I've ever me

d waited on him hand and foot all his life. 62 Perhaps if he could have realized that Marie was a woman, at least in heart and thoughts, there might have

aid with a sentimental sigh: "Perfect, perfect weather, isn't

little request to him and his own forgetfulness. The angry blood rush

s not there, but a book which he knew she had been reading was lying open on her

t a furtive look at himself in her mirror. He did not look much like a married man, he thought, and laughed as he took up the book which Marie had been reading. It was a boo

all I be

ture keep

the worl

but twen

ough twice with a vag

convey a tremendous deal to Chris, though he had a fa

ay it was absurd to imagine that she was finding the world bitter wh

n the door opened and Marie came in. She

, Ch

He turned round, holding out t

rom him, but he avoided her.

, but she laughed as she bent over the

hris knew nothing about Tennyson's "Maud," but he was relieved to hear the natu

lean forgot all about it. We'll go to- night, shall we?" There was the smallest hesitation b

said at last, "I almost promised him I would g

ou'll enjoy it. I shall be all right-I can have a game

I thin

downstair

es

verse. He ought to have known Marie Celeste would not be so foolish-and they wer