Poppy

r her except at meal-times, every day found Poppy spending four or five hours at her new occupation-typewriting. She had dete

in time to see Sophie depart, gloriously arrayed, with

t back, she would sometimes wonder if the latter had indeed been to a ga

le pathway. Only the click of the machine, the voices of Zambani and Piccanin, busy with the pots and the pans in the kitchen and yard, broke the silence; or Poppy's trilling whistle as she corrected her proofs. By half-past twelve there would be piles of neat manuscript ready for Sophie to take back the n

at her own work, she was disagreeably surprised to find Sophie stalk in a few moments later, flushed and h

interest in life. For a moment she slightly envied Sophie, but a glance at the brilliant languid eyes and heavy mouth ch

er you a cup of tea, Soph

ir. "I couldn't drink tea. I've had a most tiring morning. Brook

rself with a legal-looking document, chosen for its stiffness from among the

t name from the lips of a beautiful woman in Bloemfontein! Could this Nick Capron possibly be the "most

ould refresh you, Sophi

ink when I get worn out like t

y opulent proportions stretched befor

r strength," she said, with

e to me, now," announced Sophie, "is a glass o

ipt. She was in the mood for work an

enever I am tired," was Miss Cornell's next cont

n be bored

rnell fervently; then

important, Sophie, they are

hich a friend of Brookie's is defending in the Courts next week. It's th

Capron a

er, my dear-Brookie says she is the loveliest woman in Africa; but Capron has always got his eye on some other woman. By the way, Rosalind, to-day he was descri

r own idea of beauty which that type represented, seemed to her really funny and incredible. Yet she looked intently now, and observed, so far as in her lay, "

walking together and met you. And Mrs. Portal said you looked like a Burne-Jones dressed like

ell-bred-looking woman who had been talking about Burne-Jones

for men, I wonder? She's not a bit smart ... and so pale ... and yet, and yet ..." Here Sophie's expression of thought gave ou

l him anything about me

annoyed look as she said it brought a ring of laughter

Sophie

me home so early. Do buck up, old girl, and make things look nice. Your papers are

I was just going to write something extraord

a-things-as only she could-and went out to pluck fresh flowers for the vases. Sophie

n arrange flowers-I'll say that for you, Rosalind. Would

om she had just put by itself amidst a heap of green on the mantlepiece. "Why should I change

nk you ought to try and look nice. I'll le

awfully good of you, Sophie, but I

, perfectly laundered by Kykie; but Sophie consider

hen plunging them in deeper, so that great waves leaned out on either side of her face and delicate fronds fell veil-wise just o

our cheeks, or something,"

e! Why on earth should you suppose that because you have a violent colour no one admires pal

make a tart rejoinder, when there came a

ne at

er rage and open the door. A big, grey-eyed man, with a kind smile, was stan

out enthusiasm; adding: "Mi

d?" said he pleasa

riendly, boyish way th

've made this place look

as a chamber of horrors," said Poppy coolly. "

greatly surprised. Then he said carel

have been

rom the book-case on to the floor. When she turned she found him still staring at her in that curi

and things," she said, appearing not to notice his curious look; "and as it

illed. But here Sophie burst into the ro

hand up to her hair and the other outstretche

, there's a dear. I'm sure

tchen, and did not reappear until she followed Piccanin in with the tea-tray. Soph

onable curiosity to know whom she should just love

our out te

pt to include her in the conversation, con

and his manner of sitting on a chair (all while she was apparently arranging the cups and looking into the teapot to see if the tea was drawing properly), the "eternal feminin

egan to realise that there was a

into his right ear; while on his left, Sophie Cornell was

glance of recognition fell upon the sli

to come, but I can't promise that he

rons and the Portals-I've seen h

n't admire

said Sophie. "She is not a bit sma

he most delightful women in

ir was unbelieving; "but I d

hand. Bramham looked bored. The litt

to be seen. Perhaps it i

at what she did

nd your ol

appiness about her that infects everyone who comes near her-no

e, now thoroughly ill-tempered, "and I don't

e matter, but Poppy's tas

t know her as well as you d

ortal could never be anything but a name to Sophie-that it was real

her?" she ret

u, Sophie-and now Mr. Bramham," she smiled, a sudden smile of great

ll for you

ooks to read; and how can one be du

ramham. He was a Nata

out to see if the sun rises!" said Sophie, as i

ed Poppy had now quite disappeared, and his grey-eye

We get all the new ones, and as soon as they're read the

be good of you," said

you can find," jeered Sophie. "Persona

en she returned immediately to the subject of the men she was anxious to meet. Poppy got up and

as though he has committed every sin you ever heard of. And ho

at the piano st

e on the subject," said Bramham drily. "But perhaps

t view of an extraordinarily pretty

e air to something savage that mad

eet him. I wonder you haven't been able t

present, yes." Bramham's

eryone is talking about-Carson-he i

es

y great

w each othe

ll laughed

e that you are called the three b

ing your head with nonsense. Who

me. You are three dangerous, fascinating men, everyone says so, an

erybody if one had time to

what they call you. Now, wh

u really have a lot of inside information about everything. Y

nger at him archly. "About you, and Mr. Carson, too. He is going up on

hought Bramham. "How the dev

other, yes,"

h Government thinks

ed him to be speaking of a man dearer to him than a brother. Bramham did not

o, and Bramham got up, too

t air of business-hurry, which left h

Sophie called after him from the verandah; "and th

ively blush

not want to bring the man-and that he doesn't intend to

e a fresh onslaught on the bread-and-butter. "They'll turn up h

of you and your men friends. I didn't engage to meet

as she very well knew, but observation was not Sop

he didn't admire you. I told you t

ed her entr

ink men care for

have to pay for the dress. Lots of men won't even be seen with a woman unless she's

om me. I'm afraid you won't suit him,

s. Portal does, anyway. She always has on faded old linens and things,

oked extremely ni

is good looking, and always dressed mag-nif-icently. But it makes a person sick to s

? If one woman is witty, and the other p

the pages torn out, and the cov

pretended to be up in the Transvaal! His friend Umkoomata the Sturdy One, whom she had told herself she would like to know, here too, visiting Sophie Cornell, whom he pla

nto each other as I was coming out of Brookie's office yesterday, and he gave me a look that made

ent sensations still burning within her, she could not say that

e talking about some kind o

, and laughed. The laugh sent Poppy ou

t the rose-red walls of the house and the flaming flowers on the plant before the d

matter of going out with me! And Mrs. Nick Capron! If I were to go out here, should I meet

her glass, a

hink