Beyond the Rocks

And while she talked and looked into the blue eyes something attracted

and softened her. She was very gentle and pretty, after all, the new

niece, she decided, and Mildred had been quite wrong in saying she was

an upstart and must be snubbed.

Lady Ada had a nervous way of blinking her light lashes in a fashion

which suggested she might suffer from headache.

To Theodora she seemed a sad woman, full of cares, and she felt a kindly

pity for her and no resentment for her rudeness.

Mildred looked up, and a frown of annoyance darkened her face.

The "creature" should certainly not make a conquest of her hostess if

she could help it!

It was the first time Theodora had ever been into a company of people

like this, and her eyes wandered over the scene when Lady Ada had to go

back to her place.

"Tell me what you are thinking of?" said Hector, in her ear.

"I was thinking," she answered, "it is so interesting to watch people's

faces. It seems to me so queer a way to spend one's time, the whole of

one's intelligence set upon a game of cards and a few pieces of money

for hours and hours together."

"They don't look attractive, do they?" he laughed.

"No, they look haggard, and worried, and old," she said. "Even the young

ones look old and watchful, and so intent and solemn."

Lady Harrowfield had been losing heavily, and a deep mauve shade glowed

through all her paint. She was a bad loser, and made all at her table

feel some of her chagrin and wrath. In fact, candidates for the light of

her smile found it advisable to let her win when things became too

unpleasant.

There was a dreary silence over the room, broken by the scoring and

remarks upon the games, and those who were out wandered into the saloon

beyond, where iced drinks of all sorts were awaiting the weary.

"Every one must enjoy themselves how they can, of course," said

Theodora. "It is absurd to try and make any one else happy in one's own

way, but oh, I hope I shall not have to pass the time like that, ever! I

don't think I could bear it."

The voices became raised at the table where Josiah sat. He had made some

gross mistake in the game and his partner was being fretful over it. Her

complaints amounted to real rudeness when the counting began. She had

lost twenty pounds on this rubber, all through his last foolish play,

she let it be known.