The Little Warrior

over the platform. The train began to give up its contents, now in ones and twos, now in a steady stream. Most o

f the platform and was haranguing a subdued little maid in a voice that cut the gloomy air like a steel knife. Like the other travellers, she was pale,

Have you got all the bags? My jewel-case? The suit-ca

remember which they are? The steamer trunk, the other trunk, the black box … Very well. Then make haste. And, when you've got them all together, tell the porter to find you a four-wheeler. T

, m'

give the porter sixpen

, m'

r, who had started on this job under the impression that there was at least a bob's-wo

h growing apprehension to the catalogue of his mother's possessions. Plainly this was no flying visit. You do not pop over to London for a day or two with a steame

! So there yo

l, D

e leopards. Freddie, with the expression of one who leads a forlorn ho

u do, Lady

you do,

the Last of the Rookes. She supposed the Almighty had had some wise p

e, "to meet my friends. La

said Ronn

Mart

id Algy with ol

rded this mob-scene

said. "Have you com

ateur. He wished that he had defied the dictates of his better nature and remained in his snug rooms at the

t was very k

not a

u back to the old homest

vana. He was feeling delightfully at his ease, and couldn't understand why Freddie had made such a fuss ab

observer than young Mr Martyn, he noted the tight lines about his mother's mouth and knew them for the danger-signal

rossing did you

elt quite sorry for the poor old thing. She was a pest and a pot of poison, of course, but all the same, he reflected charitably, it was a shame that she should look so green about the gi

's nervous system like an electric needle. "I was afraid you were going to have a pretty r

die noticed that she was looking deucedly

own fellows who could travel quite happily everywhere else in the world-round the Horn in sailing-ships and all that sort of thing-

over. I go aboard, stoked to the eyebrows with seasick remedies, swearing that this time I'll fool 'em, but down I

d with the smooth, easy way the conversation was flowin

gines," contende

is station is reeking with the smell of engine-grease, and I can drin

shifted his cigar to his left hand in order to give with his right a spirited illustration of a Channel steamer going up and down and up and

t!" she

only sa

qu

rat

h over the weaknesses of the flesh. After awhile her eyes opened. She had forced herself, against

mporarily out of action, and his friend

journey, mother," said Dere

he surface again, "is a thing lots of people

touch of train-sic

rain. I get floating spots in front of my eyes and a sort

Ro

E

u would keep these confidences for

mother's rather tired. Do you think you

ou one in a second. Come along, Alg

, he felt, helped to break the ice for Derek and had seen him safely through those awkw

iously mother and son. Each had the same long upper lip, the same thin, firm mouth, the prominent chin which was a family characteristic of the Underhil

ng men with my umbrella. One of the things I have never been able to understand, D

iled tol

e. But Freddie is quite a good fellow

know him, and I t

for the first night of a new piece this evening. He suggested that we might all dine at the Albany and go on to the theatre." He hesitate

didn't she

ll, I-I wanted you to see her for the

Lady Underh

o meet his mother, it is certain that much trouble would have been avoided. True, Lady Underhill would probably have been rude to her in the opening stages of the interview, but she would not have been alarmed and suspicious; or, rather, the vague suspicion wh

ped and

he demanded. "W

k fl

e everything cle

nothing cl

orter behind them, and a bag

ritably. "Let me get you to the taxi and take you t

come from? Who are her peopl

ek stiffly. "But I do know that her pare

eri

ently have daugh

by losing your temper," said

this power of making him lose control of himself. He hated to lose control of himself. It upset him, and blurred that vision which he

uck. "You know perfectly well," she resumed, returning to the attack, "that your

awe of his mother which was the result of years of defeat in battles of the will. "Let me tell you in a few words all th

do not need to m

marrying f

l, g

st-what she looks like. Her sweetness, her loveableness, all the subtle things a

nten

n. She lives with her

lby? What

goaded Derek. "And, in the name

the G

you I do

," said Lady Underhill wi

. "If you are worrying about Major Selby's social standi

When?

ndia, when fathe

y? Not Chris

u remem

that he and I ever met, but y

had to face facts, and, as far as his mother was concerned, it did. The fact that J

rd your father speak of him. He was the man who gave your father an I.O.U. to

ha

t I said? I will rep

have been so

father made when

e been some

tirically. "No doubt your father kn

bit hi

said doggedly, "whet

our father should not

then. But what does it matter? I

only living relative were not a swindler!… Te

fer to her as 'this girl.' The name,

did you meet

Prin

taur

ntly. "Just after you left for Men

ectual friend Mr

. Her people lived next to t

u said she wa

in England. Jill hasn't been in A

"that the girl is a friend of Mr

of matches which someone had

consider that she requires recommendations, as you call them. However, don't you think the most sensible thing is for you to wait till y

" said Lady Underhill, "I agree with you. Let us hope that my first impression will

ek, "for I fell in love with Jill