"He's had a little
cold all day, sir. I've kept him indoors."
"Have you taken his temperature?"
"Yes, sir, nothing at all unusual. He often goes up and down."
"Have you spoken to your mistress?"
"Yes, sir. She agrees with me that there is nothing unusual--"
He brushed past the woman and went to his wife's bedroom.
She was dressed and was putting on a string of pearls, a wedding present
from her father. She smiled up at him--
"Clare, do you know Stephen's ill?"
"No, it's only a cold. I've been up to see him--"
He took her hand--she smiled up at him--"Did you enjoy your visit?" She
fastened the necklace.
"Clare, stay in to-night. It may be nothing but if the boy got worse--"
"Do you want me to stay?"
"Yes."
"I wanted you to go with me this afternoon--"
"That was different. The boy may be really ill--"
"You didn't do what I wanted this afternoon. Why should I do what you want
now?"
"Clare, stay. Please, please--"
She took her hand gently out of his, and, as she went out of the door
switched off the electric light.
He heard the opening of the hall door and, standing where she had left him
in the dark bedroom, saw, shining, laughing at him, her eyes.
CHAPTER XI
WHY?
I
There are occasions in our life when the great Wave so abruptly overwhelms
us that before we have recovered our dazed senses it has passed and the
water on every side of us is calm again.
Pages:
514
515
516
517
518
519
520
521
522
523
524
525
526
527
528
529
530
531
532
533
534
535
536
537
538