The Little Nugget

th me nextmorning. Astonishment does not last. The fact of Audrey and myselfbeing under the same roof after all these years had ceased toamaze me. It was a minor point, and my

I should not be the only one tosuffer. And something told me that I should be weak. How could Ih

omised that to my self-respect, and was rewarded with a certaingl

ard my step,and I saw that her chin had that determined tilt which, in thedays of our engagement, I had noticed often without attaching anyparticular significance to it. Heavens,

nd I was glad of

morning,

od mo

took the opportunity

strength whichI had never noticed in her before. It may have been there in theold days, but I did not think so. It was

nd slight and trim as ever she had done. She was a littlepaler, I thou

that I was staring at her. Aslight

ddenly, with a little

hey had been a blow, akind of sentimental

you doing he

was

irs,' I saidviciously. 'I was only interested in t

pulsively. Her face h

e said, 'I'm sorr

chivalrywhich I regretted almost immediately. But I was

aid, politely

ken aback, as I

or what h

ave made the same mistake. I don't

that. I meant--

at the moment, but Idid my best, and had the

ut that?' I said. Ilaughed again. Very jov

rds eachother was over. There was a glitter in her blue

u would get ove

y twenty-five. One's heart d

rs would ever be lik

compliment, o

ompliment. I meant that you wereno

your idea of

ought it was p

sort of man five years ago,

ou w

ange species of insect. The attitudeannoyed me. I could look, myself, with a detached eye at

on me as a kind of ogr

uppose

e was

attitude of studiedoffensiveness. I did want to hurt her feelings. But hers, itseemed to me, was no po

went on, 'sometimes--when

she could find to say o

five yearsago. Whatever I was or did, you escaped. Let's

he situation's

I d

to go, I suppose,'

xact

, I can

or c

e busine

usly, so

y necessary that

that I

dered me fo

t you were one of the assi

t-master. I am supposed to

hesi

?' she

hy n

ou used to be

r off now. I

silent for

sible for you to leave.

'N

an't e

e we must face t

arrassing? You said yours

I am engaged

drew a pattern on the gravel

late you,' sh

hank

ou will be

sure I

me that, having postedher thoroughly in my

ld did you come t

long story. After

exclaimed,

died three

n the true reason later. At the time it seemedto me due to resentment at having to

oking after mysel

Engl

ctly I hadwritten to you. I have been in America eve

brought you

the littleboy who is at the school. He recommended me t

work? I mean--forgive me if I a

t no mone

for her to talk about, at any rate tome; but the Sheridan mystery had vexed me for five years,

rtist, a frien

with me in a thousand ways; but it wasplain that she would not willingly be communicative

here is all yo

if it's the same with

re!' I echoe

it as easy for each ot

f co

in that curious, wi

t thinner, Pet

. 'Suffering, I su

my face. I saw h

ly. 'You've been hating me all t

, and as she did so asense of the littlene

ke a petty revenge on her--for what? All that hadhappened five years ago h

ey!' I

pped. I w

there's anybody I hate, it'smyself.

rted, but she

do it,' I went on. 'I can see nowth

to--to help me,' she

lt like that abo

ted you s

. It happenedthat you gave me mine, but that wasn't your fault. I was bound toget it--somehow.' I laughed. 'Fate w

sorry,

ked some sense into m

now they are getting it at all. My money kept mefrom getting mine that way. By the ti

at's

're ge

y that I see things clearer than

u wer

, we won't qua

or breakfast. We turned. As I drew

er,' s

an to spe

Can't we just pretend that we're two oldfriends who parted through a misunderstanding, and

d. She was smiling, bu

friends

ok her

riends,'

On the table, beside my plate,