The Descent of Man and Other Stories

't like that French

od before Waythorn in the library, r

ir over the evening paper, stared

s is my last visit, and I thought if I could have a word with you

not like the French governess e

you wish it I will give your message to-my wife." He always

as that will help much. She did

d. "When did you s

right after she was taken sick. I remarked t

e had respected his wishes since; and the incident cast a curious light on her character. He was sure she would not have seen Haskett that first day if she had

e underhand. I've noticed a change in Lily-she's too anxious to please-and she don't always tell the truth. She used to be the strai

y, Mr. Haskett; but frankly, I

rth-rug, on which Waythorn was standing. There was nothing aggressive in his

in Lily's bringing up." He paused, and went on more deprecatingly: "I'm not the kind to talk about enforcing my rights, Mr. Waythorn. I don't know as I thi

orn felt that this exploration of Haskett was like groping about with a dark-lantern in his wife's past; but he saw now that there were recesses his lantern had not explored. He had never inquired into the exact circumstances of his wife's first matrimonial rupture. On the surface all had been fair. It was she who had obtained the divorce, and the court had given her the child. But Waythorn knew how many ambiguities such a v

passed over her face; but she subdued it instantly a

gentlemanly of

hat is neither here nor there.

ot as if he could eve

o his taste. "The question is," he rep

ittle in her seat. "I am willing to see h

extent of Haskett's claims. Perhaps it wa

" he said coldly; "if Haskett has a righ

e saw that she expected him

of the piano-tuner, and Mrs. Waythorn, after a month or two, appeared to class him with that domestic familiar. Waythorn could not but respect the father's tenacity. At first he had tried to cultivate the suspicion that Haskett might be "up to" something, that he had an object in securing a foothold in th

tiations were prolonged and complicated; they necessitated frequent conferences between the two men, and the int

established, it would have been absurd for the two men to ignore each other in society. The first time they met in a drawing-room, Varick took up their intercourse in the same easy key, and his hostess's grateful glance obliged Waythorn to respond to it. After that they ran

e, he broke out nervously: "I d

standing near me; I didn't know what to do. It's so awkward, meeting

ferent," sa

," she returned pliantly. "I thought it would

to evade difficulties or to circumvent them. With sudden vividness Waythorn saw how the instinct had developed. She was "as easy as an old shoe"-a shoe that too many feet had worn. Her elasticity was the result of tension in too many d

speak to Varick," sa

yrs." By Step