The Kingdom Round the Corner

ost passionless. She had the high complexion of a Country girl, good gray eyes, a slim, attractive figure and dark, wavy hair which escaped rebelliously from beneath her cap. One wondered how s

given no orders; it was Ann's doing-her accustomed, tactful thoughtfulness. The steps were speckless as a newly laundered shirt, the brasses polished to the brilliancy of precious metal. His window-boxes-- He glanced along the fronts of his neighbors' houses; they h

Square. Tabs climbed the three low steps separately; he had been used to take them at a bound. He tried to climb them slowly as though from choice, and not

our Lor

act hour. I didn't know it myself. I ho

trouble, yo

itchen? They tell me that all the cooks have

he one who lost her husband at Mon

ver need to go into details. Whatever you've done is ri

ren't fitted for it. You ought to have gone as a General. Then you wouldn't have come home with that poor leg and--" She saw him wince and changed the subject. "But about doing things without orders, I knew that if Braithwaite-if Braithwaite--" Her voice sagged and her eyes misted over. At last Tabs saw how she looked in her off-duty moments, when she wasn't occupied with being respectful. The sudden mem

our Lordship, was that if he had been spared, he'd have done things on his ow

ht, Ann. I appreciate your motives. I'm glad yo

. The table was spread for dinner. Cut flowers were stan

," he told her. "I'm dini

," she inquired

On the first small landing, which looked out at the back on to the Oratory and the graveyard of the Parish Church, there were still more flowers. When he reached his bedroom, t

closing drawers, "I shall have to l

er tone was sharp

e thing that she could never have. He wondered whether it wouldn't b

He was never reported. My letters were returned unopened. I've not given over hoping. I shouldn't like him to find that y

ut

al that was desperate. "A strange man-his ways would be diffe

she had omitted-collar, tie, silk socks, dress-shoes, shaving-water, razor. "I

d her emotion. As she rustled discreetly down th