按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
he lane yesterday； of his clean…cut face； and the look in his eyesso vastly superior to any look that ever came into the eyes of Bream Mortimer。 She was telling herself that her relations with Sam were an idyll； for； being young and romantic； she enjoyed this freshet of surreptitious meetings which had e to enliven the stream of her life。 It was pleasant to go warily into deep lanes where forbidden love lurked。 She cast a swift side…glance at her fatherthe unconscious ogre in her fairy…story。 What would he say if he knew？ But Mr。 Bennett did not know； and consequently continued to meditate peacefully on ham。
They had sat like this for perhaps a minutetwo happy mortals lulled by the gentle beauty of the daywhen from the window of the drawing…room there stepped out a white…capped maid。 And one may just as well say at onceand have done with itthat this is the point where the quiet； peaceful scene in domestic life terminates with a jerk； and pity and terror resume work at the old stand。
The maidher name； not that it matters； was Susan； and she was engaged to be married； though the point is of no importance； to the second assistant at Green's Grocery Stores in Windlehurstapproached Mr。 Bennett。
〃Please； sir； a gentleman to see you。〃
〃Eh？〃 said Mr。 Bennett； torn from a dream of large pink slices edged with bread…crumbed fat。 〃Eh？〃
〃A gentleman to see you； sir。 In the drawing…room。 He says you are expecting him。〃
〃Of course； yes。 To be sure。〃
Mr。 Bennett heaved himself out of the deck…chair。 Beyond the French windows he could see an indistinct form in a gray suit； and remembered that this was the morning on which Sir Mallaby Marlowe's clerkwho was taking those Schultz and Bowen papers for him to Americahad written that he would call。 To…day was Friday； no doubt the man was sailing from Southampton to…morrow。
He crossed the lawn； entered the drawing…room； and found Mr。 Jno。 Peters with an expression on his ill…favored face； which looked like one of consternation； of uneasiness； even of alarm。
〃Morning； Mr。 Peters；〃 said Mr。 Bennett。 〃Very good of you to run down。 Take a seat； and I'll just go through the few notes I have made about the matter。〃
〃Mr。 Bennett；〃 exclaimed Jno。 Peters。 〃Maymay I speak？〃
〃What do you mean？ Eh？ What？ Something to say？ What is it？〃
Mr。 Peters cleared his throat awkwardly。 He was feeling embarrassed at the unpleasantness of the duty which he had to perform； but it was a duty； and he did not intend to shrink from performing it。 Ever since； gazing appreciatively through the drawing…room windows at the charming scene outside； he had caught sight of the unforgettable form of Billie； seated in her chair with the sketching…block on her knee； he had realised that he could not go away in silence； leaving Mr。 Bennett ignorant of what he was up against。
One almost inclines to fancy that there must have been a curse of some kind on this house of Windles。 Certainly everybody who entered it seemed to leave his peace of mind behind him。 Jno。 Peters had been feeling notably happy during his journey in the train from London； and the subsequent walk from the station。 The splendor of the morning had soothed his nerves； and the faint wind that blew inshore from the sea spoke to him hearteningly of adventure and romance。 There was a jar of pot…pourri on the drawing…room table； and he had derived considerable pleasure from sniffing at it。 In short； Jno。 Peters was in the pink； without a care in the world； until he had looked out of the window and seen Billie。
〃Mr。 Bennett；〃 he said； 〃I don't want to do anybody any harm； and； if you know all about it； and she suits you； well and good； but I think it is my duty to inform you that your stenographer is not quite right in the head。 I don't say she's dangerous； but she isn't pos。 She decidedly is not pos； Mr。 Bennett！〃
Mr。 Bennett stared at his well…wisher dumbly for a moment。 The thought crossed his mind that； if ever there was a case of the pot calling the kettle black； this was it。 His opinion of Jno。 Peters' sanity went down to zero。
〃What are you talking about？ My stenographer？ What stenographer？〃
It occurred to Mr。 Peters that a man of the other's wealth and business connections might well have a troupe of these useful females。 He particularised。
〃I mean the young lady out in the garden there； to whom you were dictating just now。 The young lady with the writing…pad on her knee。〃
〃What！ What！〃 Mr。 Bennett spluttered。 〃Do you know who that is？〃 he exclaimed。
〃Oh； yes； indeed！〃 said Jno。 Peters。 〃I have only met her once； when she came into our office to see Mr。 Samuel； but her personality and appearance stamped themselves so forcibly on my mind； that I know I am not mistaken。 I am sure it is my duty to tell you exactly what happened when I was left alone with her in the office。 We had hardly exchanged a dozen words； Mr。 Bennett； when〃 here Jno。 Peters； modest to the core； turned vividly pink； 〃when she told meshe told me that I was the only man she loved！〃
Mr。 Bennett uttered a loud cry。
〃Sweet spirits of nitre！〃
Mr。 Peters could make nothing of this exclamation； and he was deterred from seeking light； by the sudden action of his host； who； bounding from his seat； with a vivacity of which one could not have believed him capable； charged to the French window and emitted a bellow。
〃Wilhelmina！〃
Billie looked up from her sketching…book with a start。 It seemed to her that there was a note of anguish； of panic； in that voice。 What her father could have found in the drawing…room to be frightened at； she did not know； but she dropped her block and hurried to his assistance。
〃What it is； father？〃
Mr。 Bennett had retired within the room when she arrived； and； going in after him； she perceived at once what had caused his alarm。 There before her； looking more sinister than ever； stood the lunatic Peters； and there was an ominous； bulge in his right coat…pocket which betrayed the presence of the revolver。 What Jno。 Peters was； as a matter of fact； carrying in his right coat…pocket was a bag of mixed chocolates which he had purchased in Windlehurst。 But Billie's eyes； though bright； had no X…ray quality。 Her simple creed was that； if Jno。 Peters bulged at any point； that bulge must be caused by a pistol。 She screamed； and backed against the wall。 Her whole acquaintance with Jno。 Peters had been on constant backing against walls。
〃Don't shoot！〃 she cried； as Mr。 Peters absent…mindedly dipped his hand into the pocket of his coat。 〃Oh； please don't shoot！〃
〃What the deuce do you mean？〃 said Mr。 Bennett； irritably。
He hated to have people gibbering around him in the morning。
〃Wilhelmina； this man says that you told him you loved him。〃
〃Yes； I did； and I do。 Really； really； Mr。 Peters； I do！〃
〃Suffering cats！〃
Mr。 Bennett clutched at the back of a chair。
〃But you've only met him once！〃 he added almost pleadingly。
〃You don't understand； father dear；〃 said Billie desperately。 〃I'll explain the whole thing later； when。。。。〃
〃Father！〃 ejaculated Jno。 Peters feebly。 〃Did you say 'father'？〃
〃Of course I said 'father'！〃
〃This is my daughter； Mr。 Peters。〃
〃My daughter！ I mean； your daughter！