| Show i Ul BRoT liR l G WE J Y tun Y 4 MEA I I He turned slowly away drawing the door to behind him before he went down the wide staircase to his own stud study I The car had had already gone to Selmont Sel- Sel mont the nearest station If It the train was punctual she ought to be here in a few minutes Even as he glanced at his watch atch he heard the he motor-horn motor as as' the car turned In a at the drive He stopped irresolute A servant crossed the hall to open the door Miss Varney came hurrying hurrying hurrying hurry hurry- ing down the stairs That must be she David Oh dear I do feel teel so nervous David ld looked a little nervous him him- self sell lIe He passed a hand rather agitatedly agitatedly agitatedly agi agi- across the back of ot his head and glanced at himself in ina a long Jong mirror that hung on one wall but buthe buthe buthe he went forward composedly enough when the car drew up at the step and a servant opened the door A little dying dring ray of at sunshine struggled through the gray sky as Mary Furnival stepped from the car shining warmly uP upon IU her sweet face tace and robed black-robed figure Sunshine to greet reet her A good omen thought Miss Varney as she unceremoniously brushed David I aside and went fon forward rd with outstretched outstretched outstretched out out- stretched hands My Iy dear child I am so glad I I to see you yoI ou Welcome home home to to Ni Nigel's Nigel's Ni- Ni Igel's I- I gels gel's home The girls girl's e eyes es went past the little ladys lady's kindly face to where David stood and a sort of fear momentarily ily filled her e eyes es But it was gone Immediately and she returned Miss Varney's Impulsive kiss with warmth I am so glad to come came and I think it is sweet of you ou to want m me e. e Sh She shook hands with David composedly com corn enough but she did not notral ral rale raie e her e eyes es to his Her lips were a little tremulous Now the first flush of excitement had died away she looked pale and III ill Tea will wm be all ready when you ou have t taken l en off oft you OU hat David Id I told them to put tea In your study Its It's Its It's so much more re cozy there You dont don't mind do you She did not wait walt for an an answer The two women went away up the wide staircase together S S 5 David ld Bretherton stood looking after atter them with a little frown She was glad to come he was sure of ot that the tone of other her voice and the tremulous agitation of ot her face tace told him more than an effusion of ot words could have done But he remembered how she had avoided meeting his eyes He lie went Into tIe the study tudy where tea a awas was laid by the fire Ire and stood looking across the room with his thoughtful ey eyes CHAPTER I The Beginning of Difficulties He made himself very agreeable during tea time Even Miss r V ney was a a. little surprised at the attention he paid to the girl As Asa a a. rule he cared little for women and avoided a their company when- when Ewer er possible i He told Mary lary that he was looking forward to showing her the surrounding surrounding surrounding sur sur- rounding country He said that there were many things things' about the house bouse that would interest her her her- That Is If you care for tor old things he added I do ver very much she told him For the first time her eyes met his Something in their expression held hers A little color crept up over his chin It was David who 1 looked away away first We lYe have hae some very ery fine tine pie plc- tures he said rather constrainedly constrained constrained- I ly b We Te are vet very proud of them I arent aren't we Aunt Florence He turned again to Mar Mary I wonder If H you ou oui i will let me have your our portrait added to the gallery Ni Nigel's is there I should lIl like e his wife's to hang beside beside beside be be- I side his l Mary had Just lifted her cup It fell tell from her nerveless grasp to the rug at her feet She sat looking down at it it with a sort of ot frozen I horror on her white face I Miss Varney rushed to the rescue I It doesn't matter matter matter-It It doesn't I mat matter er In the least she declared 1 kindly regardless of the fact tact that the broken cup CIP was old ole and almost priceless She rang the bell ben for the maid She poured Mary Iary a afresh fresh cup of tea She laughed and chatted and did did I her best ao to cover the girls girl's painful i confusion contusion Mary began a stammered apology I am so sorry I dont don't know how It happened I am not clumsy as a a rule There were tears in her ey eyes s and andIn andin andin In her voice Please dont don't upset yourself said David kindly There was a sort of at remorse in In his face as he saw the distress in hers I dare say you are tired He l looked down at the broken fragments of delicate china I r never cared for the s set t an anyhow how he said carelessly Miss iss Varney looked up in ama amaze amaze- e- e ment Why hy hyshe she began remembering how many times David Dald had said how much he valued the tea service but stopped meeting his eyes No Xo you ou never did really like It did you she said hurriedly I They spoke on other subjects but 1 I It was obvious that Mary was upset upset upset up up- set at what had occurred as soon as possible Miss liss Varney took her awa away To unpack and rest she ehe said You Tou must be tired after the long i Journey We dont don't have dinner till past half-past seven reven so you will wUl have I plenty of time j When hen she came back to the study I I she found David Id still standing where I she had left him there was a a. little I pucker of ot perplexity between Miss Varney's kind lelnd eyes as he closed the thedoor thedoor i door and went up to him She isn't a bit as I pictured her David If you remember Monty lont I Fisher described her as very pretty and and rather rather comm common n didn't he I I Well ell I dont don't call her pretty prett do you 1 lAnd And she's a a. lady to her finger tips I I David shrugged his shoulders I II Oh I think she is pretty he I said nonchalantly Or she would I be if she didn't look so sad and 1 she's most certainly a lad lady I shouldn't speak of him too I much if I were you it give her a chance to get over it The thing is to try and take her thoughts I oft off the subject dont don't you think Of course I dont don't mean that I want her herto herto herto I to forget him you him but you understand understand understand under under- stand I 1 1 It is the the best thing to do Poor child David didn't t you OU tell me her name was was Doll DolI Dolly I I er I er er I really forget wh why I asked her what she would like me to call her and she said Magy Mapy Ia but I am nm sure that you ou said Y 1 her herI name was Dolly Nigel wrote about her as Dolly I perhaps it was as sort of ot a nickname David had half turned away and andI and I was looking down into the fire I shall call her Mary Mar anyway Miss Varney arriey asserted The other doesn't seem seem to suit her at all aU Dolly she made a little mouth One 0 thinks of a looking babyish girl not anyone anone in the least like Mary DavI David Im I'm going to love that girl David Daid looked around round smiling Are you I r am sure I shall Theres There's some something something something thing about her her her- hershe she br ke off I suppose you'll be calling me an ImpressIonable Impressionable impressionable Im Im- im- im old woman David put out his hand and took her hersI hers I think youre you're the best woman Inthe in inthe inthe the world he said and stoop stooping ng gave her a hoort hearty kiss Miss Varney smiled w welt well ll pleased I She adored her tall nephew it was washer washer washer I her greatest happiness to hear him say that he did not know what he should do without her Sho She walked to the door and came back David she said In-a In half whisper whis per youre oure not to dress for tor dinner tonight I dont don't think Mar Mary has hasI I any evening frocks I I 1 dont don't suppose she has they must have led a very the look of the flat quIet lite I b her hu room Did DM T iI ehe She said it wa wag wa lovely never seen it before ihM ene v nf f came with Nigel they o Z A Around lly round the grounds a and th downstairs rooms h i You n her all over the nut el o If she cares to go morr ro 2 If she cares to Why t Ihei he proud of being a Bretherton are She a a. a thinks they're 51 a noe race Do you rou really have her portrait added m m nT to l the lery Jery dear t g If she will allow me roe t to to- 1 and their wIres are there a all She is a a widow poor MM I-MM child Ml Miss l Varney sighing d' d David made no comment and A ih went softly awa away clOsing the By dinner time Mary seemed geA doo have recovered something nl v 01 h cheeriness there was a littI added to the sombre black or J hi 1 he frock and she was was' not a so 80 pale pau A As David sat at the head heM lr or oc table the light from the v lamp falling he on his face she cm coulse cou I see again that odd uncertain m ness to his dead brother thin that W so upset her that hid had night at the It made her feel tai fanciful fanciful- it it seemed If as Nigel were a a presence in iii the room watchIng i he n dOing P perfectly conscious conscious' of ot what she J j She woke from her if 1 ifa a little start dreaming am Da David vid was speaking to her her- I h I eyes met hers with that half halt half sympathetic which she could not fathom j Did you know we had a 4 rho gho here Did Nigel Igel tell you you Mary sook look her head a f fain gleam of inte Interest crossed her ta face Continued in irs our next ism |
