The Keeper of the Door

to invest all things with a more normal and wholesome

over her as he did it. "Well, Olga mia. I trust

s with Max," she said

se with her to the gard

beside the little t

ry large party,"

ome by the heat, has retired to bed. I propose to follow her example if the company will excuse me. I only put

g down to dinn

," he

needn't. I ca

ll come dow

topped abruptly as Violet suddenly saun

after a motor-run. What has become of the dear m

live here?" said Olga, with a v

o offered it to her. Her eyes were wonderfully bright, but the lids were heavy. "I'm horribly sleepy still," she said.

am going to give myself the

" said Olga. "Do g

legant indifference, a pray-stay-if-you've-a-mind-to-but-don't- imagine-that-I-want-you kind of attitude. There are not many men who can face that f

nation is trying to se

more could anyon

for many things, it see

nt-Goring be

reak his thum

n," chimed in Violet. "How did you manage to g

nd sent him home in the car,"

ted him at last because I couldn't keep my eyes open. Give me my

d if I smok

least; quite

cigarette-case. "P'

r head; they were bare to the elbow, soft and white and rounded. Her eyelids began to

se; and into her mind, all-unbidden, there flashed again the memory of the green dragon-fly-the monster of the stream-dartin

have your tea! It's this horrid thundery weather that is affecting you. I'

conscious of the sudden quickening of her heart; for

ick. "Why can't you tak

luckless little brat

a time," sai

n his shaggy brows. He looked neither at Violet nor Ol

tea?" asked Violet, rousing herself

," he

done," she said, and ra

et finished her tea, and asked for more. H

would let me tr

she made answer. "I l

other of his

ght!" sa

ner," Max responded gru

said Nick. "What's

lous," sa

ick was fran

He's been dangling afte

ike me to marry

Olga, turn

Her friend laughed mischievous

the main theme?

oured of him, though. He's rather a brute at heart, underneath

luxuriously, and strol

n her. Only as she passed from sight, he made an odd little grimace as if dismi

n, you've had a

very glad it's over, and I don't want to talk about it. Te

again. I told 'em I couldn't go, but they seem to take it for granted that I shall. Don't know what Mur

k! I

my seat in Parliament would be far more easily filled than this Sharapura post. Also the young Rajah has done me the honour to ask for me. We went pig-sticking together once-years ago, and I chanced to head off Piggie at a critical moment for young Akbar. On the strength of that, he wants me to go and be his political adviser for a few months. It s

e going!" Ol

impartial opinion as to that

were shining. "Oh, how I wish I

admitted,"

el will say," she said.

uite a lot of snakes; a decent little capital and a hill-station, healthy enough though not very high. The natives are exactly like monkeys. I learnt to speak their lingo one winter from a villainous bearer I had when some of us were stationed there. There is a small native

o had begun to shine. Olga

!" she said. "Of course

perfectly

riel! It's rather a shame to ask her. She had an overdose

s ?ons ago!" p

losed eyes. "I wonder if I can bring myself to refuse finally

uch a thing! Nick! A heaven-sent chance like that! Oh, it wouldn'

You see, dear," he said, "there's the kiddie too. I'm an unnatural beast

ck. "You shan't call yourself anything so horrid!" she said. "Dad and I will take care of

-satisfied most of the time. There's been a twinge of regret every now and then, but nothing I couldn't whistle away. But now-" his words quickened; he spoke them whimsically, yet passionately, in her ear-"between you and me, I'd give an eye, an ear, or a leg-anything I possess in duplicate-to come off the shelf, and have one more fling. I'm stiff! I'm stiff! And, ye gods, I'm only four-and-thirty! I always thought I'd go till sixty at least. I entered Parliament just to keep going; but that's only a steady progress downhill-a s

ngagement ring through her, and once again nearly two years later when that same woman-Muriel, his wife-had lain at death's door all through one dreadful night while they two, close pals, had waited huddled together in the passage outside her room. Those two occasions were sacred to Olga, never spoken of

isper. "Nick, you know, don't you, that you a

d patted her cheek. "

ck? What d

," said Nick pr

do you remember how I came and kept house for

d Nick. "Bull

ick, I'm going to make a p

nd me!" s

feels she really can't leave Reggie, and if she can possibly bear to part with you and you with her, could

said Nick,

I'd be a very poor substitute; but at least I could keep a motherly eye on you, and see t

eager was close to his. He bent suddenly forward and

it!" she said, with ca

ine how much I

homesick,"

! Wit

. "Do you mean to say," he said, "that there is no

ou think perhaps Muriel wouldn't mind taking ca

ou would leave behind. You ought to consider that before you get too obsessed by this enchanting idea. It's pretty beastly, you

im. "What are you

ating the obvio

, dear. You're

I deserve. Look here! We won't talk about this any more to-day. The subject i

o write to Muriel t

've given me a week

would you

y the beginning of October. But as we're not going,"

yes, a baffling, hum

to you for mentioning it. There are some chocolates in the hall f

ncy your remembering me! D

ecently been driven to another man for protection. In fact, the interview in the surgery, with the episode that had preceded it, was completely crowded o

her the same thing. When she arose in the morning she told herself with a little shiver of sheer excitement that the gates o