The Hermit of Far End

ugar-tongs poised abov

" she q

arded her

ump, p

poured out another for hers

r. Is this quite a suitabl

g," he retaliated. "I'm

ix o'

ix o'

wish to leave

e windows, where the rain could be hear

to you . . .

small grimac

tively, "I am going to stay

nod

to make myself a present of an hour or t

te-which was only what current report would have led her to expect-yet now he was evincing a desire

thered from a recent remark of yours tha

lied with uncompr

why-

for a brief space into the life I hav

are what they c

eall

ine societ

he faintest of smiles modified the grim clo

in, hermit-like, within his shell, and she had a suspicion that behind this barricade

all into your arms just when y

blazed for a moment. Then, a shade of contempt blending wit

an answer to that

et, incongruously, she was half inclined to lay the blame for her impertinent speech on his shou

s wiped out by the look of profound pain that she surprised in his face. Her shrewd question, utte

!" she exclaim

voiced apology, for, when he turned to her again, he

e said, tendering a plateful. "They are

any hint of pain, and his voice held nothing more than conventional politeness. Sara meekly accep

was over, he offer

n your tastes, you s

a rush, and she did not quite know what impelled her to mak

r her to light her cigarette-"you will smoke because you really like it, and because it would

smi

he said, contemplating the harmon

it?" he as

. What could it matter to him

t? You see," she added a little wistfully, "I have no

e, either," he

but t

One wants more than a few stick

g changes from boorish incivility to whole-hearted hospitality, from apparently impenetr

lly they drifted into the discussion of art and music; and Sara, not without some

playing some Russian music that I knew. Your man ordered me off the pre

nt?" he asked

ne. Please

ted a mom

," he said

the way into a

arranged to serve exclusively as a music-room, for it contained practically no furniture beyond a couple of chairs, an

window or candles would fall comfortably upon the mus

the violin from is cushiony bed of p

e asked, flashing the question a

: "A little," or "I'll do my best," which most people seem

u can do a thing, and do it well, you are expected to depreciate your capability u

mful of music from the cabinet

" ("These" being several s

y no means easy. But, thanks to the wisdom of Patrick Lovell, who had seen to it that she studied under one of the

s face aglow. For the moment he was no longer the hermit, aloof and enigma

a pretty stiff one, but I was sure"-smilingly-"from the downright way yo

led back

entional professions of modesty-to you," she

t the piano, loo

orse for me, so I have at least gained freedom from t

re she was aware, and she waited for the snub which she felt w

ome. Instead, he

imitations of a hermit'

own choice," she f

oice, you know. This world isn't a k

ed him tho

"we always get back out of li

twisted

raid I can't subscribe to it. I put in-

ity towards this man whose implacably cynical outlook manifested itself in almost every word he uttered. It was no mere p

ly she essayed

at the end o

Her intention was so unmistakable-so touchingly ingenious, as are

s left in life's tub for me,

upon the ope

st in keeping to the role o

ded her

my head into the tub. Even if I chanced to draw

leness of his answe

stand," she sa

uddenly. "It's just as wel

at once, he seemed to have retreated into his shell, to have b

her face, "I think I hear the car coming round. You had better put on your shoes an

e an inquisitive child. Their recent conversation, during which his mantle of reserve had slipped a little aside, the music they had shared, when for a brief time they had walked together in the pleasant paths

on the driving of the car. Once he asked her if she were warm enough,

ace, hard and bitter-looking, yet the reckless mouth curved sensitively at the corners, and the tolerant, humorous lines ab

e might adopt over any given matter, he would hold by it, come what may, and she was aware of an odd reflex consciousness of feminine inadequ

was a woman-hater-so Molly had told her-yet Sara could imagine him in a very different role. Of one thing she was sure-that the woman

ve you de

thoughts, and Sara jumped violently, flushing scarlet as she fou

t?" she aske

he sheep or the goats. You were di

ned an embarrassed silence. He had divine

lau

inly treated you with a rather rough-and-ready kind of courtesy. You must try

er composure, rega

tunities for practice in M

est that I should ingratiate myself wi

no

y n

s though gen

the amiable inhabitants of Monkshaven look upon me as a sort of

fault i

rd them as a set of harmless, conventional fools. No, thank you, I

f them are rather interesting-Mrs. Ma

her a ke

now the H

ou go to see them

all right. I know t

elf off from the rest of the world,

m, and when he spoke again it was to draw her attention to the effect of the cloud shadows mo

ation that for some reason did not please him. It was as conclusive as when the man

ed directly to the Selwyns' house, and a couple of minutes

of thanks as they stood together on the path. "It is I who should be gratefu

en, as I advised

ly, and his intent eyes sought her

of an inexplicable agitation, a tremulous confusion

d, at last, with an effort she mastere

wish it," she