They had supper together as usual, but when it was over he
surprised her by taking up his hat again.
"You are going out?" she said.
"I'm going to have a smoke with Guy," he said. "You have a game of
Patience, and then go to bed!"
She looked at him uncertainly. "I'll come with you," she said.
He was filling his pipe preparatory to departure. "You do as I
say!" he said.
She tried to laugh though she saw his face was grim. "You're
getting rather despotic, partner. I shall have to nip that in the
bud. I'm not going to stay at home and play Patience all by
myself. There!"
He raised his eyes abruptly from his task, and suddenly her heart
was beating fast and hard. "All right," he said. "We'll stay at
home together."
His tone was brief, but it thrilled her. She was afraid to speak
for a moment or two lest he should see her strange agitation.
Then, as he still looked at her, "Oh no, partner," she said
lightly. "That wouldn't be the same thing at all. I am much too
fond of my own company to object to solitude. I only thought I
would like to come, too. I love the _veldt_ at night."
"Do you?" he said. "I wonder what has taught you to do that."
He went on with the filling of his pipe as he spoke, and she was
conscious of quick relief. His words did not seem to ask for an
answer, and she made none.
Pages:
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201