Short Stories for English Courses

opulent roof of Overdale, and he tasted the physical satisfaction to the full. But the place, for all its ingenuities of comfort, was oddly cold and unwelcoming. He couldn't have said

chilled than he had known till he came in from the cold, and unutterably sick of a

ss to attend to with Mr. Grisben, and we don't dine for half an hour. Shall I fetch you, or can you

h behind him, and Faxon, relieved, lit

d remarked in the grouping of the blossoming shrubs that filled the hall. A vase of arums stood on the writing table, a cluster of strange-hued carnations on the stand at his elbow, and from wide bowls of glass and porcelain clumps of freesia bulbs diffused their melting fragrance. The fact implied acres of glass -but that was

n he left it, to find that two staircases, of apparently equal importance, invited him. He chose the one to his right, and reached, at its foot, a long gallery such as Rainer had described. The gallery was emp

ton and his guests to be already seated at dinner; then he perceived that the table was covered not with viands but with papers, and t

r. Faxon. Why

able, reflected his nephew's smile i

Mr. Faxon. If you won

urned his solid head toward the door. "Of

h, no, not one of your pin-pointed pens, Unc

led voice of which there seemed to be very little left, rais

augh redoubled. "Well, I won't answer fo

ormula," Mr. B

inkstand his uncle had pushed in his direction,

, had placed himself behind Mr. Grisben, and stood awaiting his turn to affix his name to the instrument. Rainer, having signed, was abou

here have t

t frown between his impassive eyes. "Really, Frank!" He seeme

ntinued, glancing about the table.

"A wafer will do. Lavi

ers. But I'm ashamed to say I don't know where my secretary keeps these things.

r aside: "It's the hand of God-and I'm hung

eal upstairs," sa

ely perceptible smile. "So s

him after it now. Let's

o one was speaking when he entered-they were evidently awaiting his return with the mute impatience of hunger, and he put the seal in Rainer's reach, and stood watching while Mr. Grisben struck a match and held it to one of the candles flanking the inkstan

-comer was a man of about Mr. Lavington's age and figure, who stood directly behind his chair, and who, at the moment when Faxon first saw him, was gazing at young Rainer with an equal intensity of attention. The likeness between the two men-perhaps increased by the fact that the hooded lamps on the table left the figure behind the chair in shadow- struc

being thereupon transferred to his own hand. He received it with a deadly sense of being unable to move, or even to understand what was expected of him, till he became conscious of Mr. Grisben's paternally pointing out the precise spot on

t to pass out. At any rate, he was gone, and with his withdrawal the strange weight was lifted. Young Rainer was lighting a cigarette, Mr. Balch meticulously inscribing his name at the foot of the document, Mr. Lavington-his eyes no longer on his nephew- exami