The Fashionable Adventures of Joshua Craig

nged, then the hour would be a surprise. It was a habit with him, a habit deliberately formed. He liked to take people unawares, to create a flurry, reasoning that he,

intent. Some men can best gain their ends by creating an impression that they are extremely lazy, others by creating the impression that they are exceedingly energetic. The important point is to be on the spot at the moment mos

ife was, get what you want, never mind the way or the feelings of others. And as he got by giving, attached his friends by self-interest, made people do for him what it was just as well that they should do, the net result, after the confusion and irritation had calmed, was that everybody felt, on the whole, well content with having been compelled. It was said of him that he made even his enemies work for him; and this was undoubtedly true-in the sense in which it was meant as well as in the deeper sense that a man's enemies, if he be strong, are his

dressing," explained Mrs. Severence, as she entered the drawing-room. "She'll be down presently-if yo

s," said Craig in his s

Severence, pink-and-white, middle-aged, fattish and obviously futile, watched him with increasing nervousness. He would surely break

as usual. It was from her that Lucia inherited her laziness and her taste

f he had previously been unconscious of her prese

en eyes and beak-like nose bent toward her. Mrs. Severence visibly shrank. She felt as

," she echoed, with a f

more curt and aggressive. "Mrs. Severen

r mouth dropped open. "Married?" she e

thin the last fortnight had he been making frequent visits-entirely on his own invitation, for she certainly would not overtly provoke such a visitation as his coming meant. Mrs. S

firmly. "Do you know why I've been com

an was actually about to propose for her

d he, "especially among frivolous, idle people like you.

made a sound that might have been mirth and again might hav

g, strong woman. She's amazing, considering the sickly, sycophantic atmosphere she's been brought up in. Now, I want to see her married

t at this moment. Cheeks aflame and

is unusual on brief and very slight acquaintance." She rang the bell. "I can show my appreciation in only

"Mrs. Severence isn't very well," said he noisily to the servant, as if he were on terms of closest intimacy with the family. "Tell Margaret I'll w

t having handled a sudden and difficult situation as well as she had e

he had not heard the front door clos

ther into the library at

verence, when she had the door closed. "Wh

imagine," said M

posed f

Nonsense!" she said decisively. "He's

d her mother. "And I orde

garet, clutching her

of the house," st

let me attend to my own affairs," cried

attending to it

g down the stairs. "Where is he?" she demanded fier

" said Williams. "He d

windows of the house. She drew back, waited until she had got her breath and had composed her features. Then, with the long skirts of her graceful pale-blue dress trailing behind her, and a big white sunshade open and resting upon h

when there were still a dozen yards between them. "Oh, ther

it was her bedroom

one day I sent for one of the servants a

ed. "I suppose there was no mail on the tab

lever, insulting things. Why n

YOU wish it? You don't half

with a shrewd, quick glance fr

ize. I told you once before tha

," evaded he; "and it seems t

o, the harder it'll be

it hard for me. I get 'em so busy nursing their own wounds that they've no longer time

t; "it was Napoleon-wasn't it

nk I'm imita

ggest it v

ss as soon as he was really opposed. No!-no Waterloo for me!... How's your

now," sai

shall walk to keep in health. Walking and things like that are the only sane modes of getting about. Everything aristocratic is silly.

ghtened; she hasti

That's why I've wasted so much time on you. What yo

le, said fai

could work as I do if it wasn't that I'm getting ready to be a family man? I need love-sympathy-tenderness. People think I'm hard and ambitious

ement of surprise-i

ny of these chaps who never speak of themselves. However, as I was saying, I'm going to get you a husband. Now, don't you get sick, as

said M

Now don't pretend-don't protest. It's the pro

her she felt she must answer. Sh

e been married long ago. Now, I'm going to dine with him to-night. I

s burned in her cheeks. "You wouldn't dare!"

ly by, and let two friends of mine, two people I'm as fond of as I am of yo

ever speak to you again. And I assure you I shoul

t they are ordinarily. They don't reveal their real selves. Wait till a crisis comes-then you see manhood or lack of it. Life is bearable, at the worst, for any of us in the routine. But when the crisis comes we need, not only all our own strength, but all we can rally to our support. I tell you, Miss Severence, Grant is one o

t two years before, when he had held even her and her worldly friends spellbound, had made them thrill with ideas of nobili

s like that?" she exc

marry

head positivel

y n

your motive. I thank you-really, I do. It makes me feel better, somehow, to have had

terly ashamed of herself for the design upon him which she had been harboring. "Let us g

'm not defeated. I've done well-very well, for a beginning." And he

re she went toward the house. At the veranda Luc

er vaguely, then smi

d Lucia, at once disa

eek. "Not quite yet." And she went on in to tea, humming to herself