"Then you were not surprised that I came?" he insisted.

"You did not wait to be asked. That surprised me a little."

"I did wait. But you didn't ask me."

"That seems to have made no difference to you," she retorted,

laughing.

"It made this difference. I seized upon the only excuse I had and

came to pay my respects as a kinsman. Do you know that I am a

relation?"

"That is a very pretty compliment to us all, I think."

"It is you who are kind in accepting me."

"As a relative, I am very glad to----"

"I came," he said, "to see you. And you know it."

"But you couldn't do that, uninvited! I had not asked you."

"But--it's done," he said.

She sat very still, considering him. Within her, subtle currents

seemed to be contending once more, disturbing her equanimity. She

said, sweetly:

"I am not as offended as I ought to be. But I do not see why you

should disregard convention with me."

"I didn't mean it that way," he said, leaning forward. "I couldn't

stand not seeing you. That was all. Convention is a pitiful

thing--sometimes--" He hesitated, then fell to studying the carpet.

She looked at him, silent in her uncertainty. His expression was

grave, almost absent-minded. And again her troubled eyes rested on

the disturbing symmetry of feature and figure in all the

unconscious grace of repose; and in his immobility there seemed

something even of nobility about him which she had not before

noticed.

She stole another glance at him. He remained very still, leaning

forward, apparently quite oblivious of her. Then he came to

himself with a quick smile, which she recognised as characteristic

of all that disturbed her about this man--a smile in which there

was humour, a little malice and self-sufficiency and--many, many

things she did not try to analyse.

"Don't you really want an unreliable servant?" he asked.

His perverse humour perplexed her, but she smiled.

"Don't you remember that I once asked you if you needed an

able-bodied man?" he insisted.

She nodded.

"Well, I'm that man."

She assented, smiling conventionally, not at all understanding. He

laughed, too, thoroughly enjoying something.

"It isn't really very funny," he said, "Ask your brother-in-law. I

had an interview with him before I came here. And I think there's

a chance that he may give me a desk and a small salary in his

office."




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