Out of the Primitive

d reached them Mrs

test. "You're not goi

y for a cu

ieve Genevieve from the ennui of a solitary afternoon. I r

omfortably on her chai

stay and help Vievie e

-at o

ll, start on.

er glance, and hastened to overtake her aunt. "Really, won

Mrs. Gantry, placidly sailing

"O-o-ho! I'm so tired. W

is hand. She placed her fingers in his palm and sprang up beside him. The others were still moving

m. "You, his friend, and

him with a swish of silken skirts and fled pas

" cried Mrs. Gantry. Bu

hat madcap girl-! Abo

cannot say 'yes,' at le

l 'n

Amice, unle

to make sure. He will wait. I am certai

anything now," r

than she had expected. As she left the room, Genevieve returned to Lord James without any outward sign of hesitancy. She s

n?" she invited. "

ung at him. "You, his friend,

sank down on the chair opposite her and be

e office of a Mr. Griffith-engineer-old friend. Gave him work i

he has work already-an

, live w

es

iend-seems

st started him on his career, if I remember a

u seen him since-since this morning? He

e outcome. You know Tom's way; and your father, I take it, is rather-It w

of a railway survey. I asked papa about it last evening, and he told me that it

the circumstances,"

d position. He had intended to offer money. But I expla

r his hope that-" Lord James paused and stared glumly at his finger-tips

d? You're still friends

d, Miss Leslie. I'm in a deuce of a quandary. On the trip up to Aden, you'll

to my esteem for you that you had l

ame-up-a bunco game. Tom tipped me off, though I had snubbed him, like the egregious ass I was. I paid no heed; blundered into the trap. Woul

d James. No one could

nasty hole, when Tom stepped in and showed them up. Seems he knew more about t

ike Tom!" murm

to force my thanks on him. Told you how we'd chummed together since.

wn at her clasped hands, which sti

fore he did, it is possible that I could have avoided-You see my predicament. He and I've

rtled eyes. "Lord James, you must

ered the young Englishman, bitterly chagrined at him

lf. When we were cast ashore together, he was-not himself. But when I remember all those weeks that followed-! You cann

that I may possibly cause him a disappointment that may res

hands, from which the most expert manicuring had n

d voice. "But I feel that-that if something came into his life-" She blushed

ly averted his gaze fr

sure that he-I've seen him fight-Gad! how he has fought-time

ly been the circumstances; that he has had nobody to-I-I beg your pardon! Of course you-What

en you've not let my deplorable blun

the sl

ll those days coming up to Aden I could say nothing. Before coming aboard, h

ve bent over lower

tonished me, well as I thought I knew him. With his brains, his 'grit,' and that, I

r head, to gaze at hi

ou say that? He is s

knew you before he did, and I've played fair with him. It was not easy to say nothing those days before we reached Aden, or to stay

f. I cannot say how greatly it pleased

he pater hit it off out of hand. Jolly sensib

must

so odd, when you come to think. My word! if only it were not for his-Forgive me, Miss Genevieve! I've the right to consider what it

d Ja

ought was for you. He wished you to have the full contrast of your own proper environment,

the shams and conventions, af

"No. He saw that you had no right to commit yourself then; that you should reconsider matters in the environment in

ll suc

saying that success would be certain, were it not for that one

ieve we can ove

eem to count for nothing. But it's too painful! Can't we leave him out of this? You are aware that I missed my opportunity when Lady Bayrose changed

-you see he has taught me to be sincere-you have my affection. Dear friend, I shall be perfectly candid. I was a silly girl. I had never sensed the realities of life. I h

The contrast of civilization-of your

he looked away, with a piteous attempt to smile. "It's strange

able to forgive myself! For me to

friend, I esteem you all the more for what I know it must have cost you

s been so good of you. Let me beg tha

ou nothing. It would

ow of a doubt. With your permission, I propose to wait until you have sol

or me to give you

annoyance to you. We'll be jolly g

or tea. You

e you. I'll serve as st

er color deepening. "He i

found him here. And now-" He glanced at

to-day!-though his custom is to come

-but-" Lord James shook his head dubiously