The Philanderers

rthed at last a copy of the Meteor, bought between the Grand Hotel and Beaufort Gardens on the night of Drake's dinner, and, drawing up a chair to the fire, he read through the interview again. The

r had not known of its publication until to-night, and so clearly had not read it; his knowledge was antedated. But on th

article line by line

e man was energetic, therefore a dangerous rival. Miss Le Mesurier, besides, seemed bent upon pitting Drake and himself against each other. Why? he asked. Well, whatever the reason, he had a chance of winning-more than a chance, he reflecte

of his nature working at the formation of the man, and in Mallinson's case they betrayed hi

he star divide into two, and the two beams describe outwards segments of a circle. He turned his face away for a few moments and then looked at the planet again. The phenomenon was re

f an incident here and there, and the sweetest foretaste of happiness in the joint rearrangement of the disputed chapter. Mallinson was lifted on a billow of confidence. He was of the type which adjusts itself to the opinions his company may have of him. Praise Mallinson and he deserved praises; ignore him and he sank like

to dinner on Frida

ure, 'he is very clever. I didn't unders

lectively, 'I suppose-I

ed her auditor, for hitherto Clarice had been v

hair and blue eyes, now in the mauve stage of widowhood. She drew him out of the secretiveness within which he habitually barred himself, and he felt thankful to h

e cavalier?

plied serenely. 'I met

puzzled, and repeated t

es here. Papa asked him to call. Captain Drake, I suppo

and shot a bewildered gl

with a touch of championship in his voice. 'You

sumed her dinner in silence, while Conway sang his usual

now this

ately through me that he was asked to this house. I had mentioned him as a friend of min

er mentioned him to me. You, of course,

out from an interv

emem

rea

introduced hi

that night. Conway br

Frou-Frou was being

will talk of s

of her neighbour, but plainly lending an attentive ear to Mrs. Willoughby's con

Mrs. Willoughby's fan motioning him to attendance, and she took

d unfort

have read t

orse the

seen of Drake sinc

ng in their charges, w

ce m

t only natives and Arabs were killed in the Boruwimi expedition, an

, recovering from a start; 'an

ll

hby seemed at a loss. The

lanation covered all you meant by "unfortunately."'

story of the emotions which the friendliness of Miss Le Mesurier to Drake had set bubbling within him.

'will you meet Mr. Drake, Cons

lloughb

u mean

efiant. Mrs. Willoughby's stare ch

hink I could.' She moved a

Drake,' he exclaimed, 'som

generous rival

with a trace of cunning in his expressio

'help you honourably, I will,' and she turn

ered. 'There is a consp

ner. It's the same with

r to Fi

ce kindling to an expre

e is fastidious too.' Sh

searching the floor. Ra

rier coming

id. 'I will lunch on Sunday, an

he said impressive

ntil he was out of ear-s

lin

man, and know something more of hi

. Mallinson understood that the reference to

Fielding's opi

n some subjects I th

o, the man might be able to throw some light upon other points-for instance, the perplexing question of Miss Le Mesurier's inclinations. M

of Miss Le Mesurier would be effected only by the raider, Fielding complacently dismissed him and repaired to Beaufort Ga

eft Mallinson,

d fell from

lexes me in many ways. For instance

you?' Fielding inter

sh. If he dislikes me, what made him talk about me as his f

always on the rack of other people's opinions-judges himself by what he imagines to be their standar

ship with him could confer on any one. He was led back to hi

s forehead puckered in an effort to calcul

kled quietly,

but it is never the work he does that pleases him

d at Fieldi

ain and assented. He saw the curtain rising on his comedy. For five minutes they paced up and down the pavement, with an interchange of simple questions on Drake'

sed they entered the house, they fou

ugust morning. The eyes were hard, he noticed, and the lips pressed together; she bowed to him without a word. Hostility was evidently to be expected, and Drake wondered at this, for he knew Mrs. Willoughby to be Clarice's chief friend and con

t. The pioneer in a new country doesn't bring testimonials with him invariably

s denial of her statement. Drake caught a look of reproof which Mr. Le Mesurier directed towards he

t, Mr. Drake. It will be a change fr

sed the interdict of

es of that class are, as

Dr

the instant became p

on for believing the story isn't suitable, I w

glance said, unmistakably, 'Now see what you've done!' Fielding broke into an open laugh; and Clari

ghed, because I notice that whenever you are particularly obedient

r's foot tapped

rug of her shoulders, 'that's wit, Mr. Fie

what's the use of being a privileged fri

ue. 'Mr. Le Mesurier i

ind I mentioned are

loses all sight of humanitarian principles

use sentiment with humanitarian principles; and sentiment, I admit, y

the savages, and retain only one lin

that

Maxi

usiness in the dark, when you're dead tired with the day's tramp. You don't much care whether you pick up a snake or a stick of wood. I remember, too,' and he gave a laugh at the recollection, 'we used to be allowed about a thimbleful of brandy a day. Well, I have noticed men walk twenty yards away from the camps to drink their tot, for fear some one might jog their elbows. And it was only one mouthful after all-you didn't need to water it. Altogether, that kind of expedition would be something considerably more than an average strain upon a man's endurance, if it was led through a friendly country. But add to your difficulties the continual presence of an enemy, outnumbering you incalculably, always on the alert for you to slacken discipline for a second, and remember you are not marching to safety, but from it. The odds against you are increasing all the time, and that not for one or two days, but for eighty and a hundred. I can assure you, one would hear a great deal less o

ption, however; Mrs. Willoughby sat back in her chair constraining herself to an attitude of indifference, and as Drake glanced at her, her l

rit which informed, the voice which launched them, and the looks which gave them point. His face flashed into mobility, enthusiasm dispelling its set habit of gravity, sloughing it, Fielding thought, or better still, burning through it as through a crust of lava; his eyes-eyes which listened, Fielding had not inaptly described them-now spoke, and spoke vigorously; enthusiasm, too, rode on

nfluence which Drake exerted, 'I thought you took a

er they could lay their hands on, and straggle behind in the dusk until they got lost. It was no use sending back for them in the morning. One would only have found their bones, and their bones pretty well scoured too. I speak of them as a class, of

call the combination,' remarked Fielding, '

rake chanced to catch her eye, and in spite of herself she rippled to a laugh. She

and recognised it as a veritable child's device. She could not but laugh, and, laughing there into the

right you have got to marching into other pe

ter the uttermost corners of the earth, and in addition to that the desire to prosper. He obeys both motives; they are of the essence of him. Besides, if it comes to a question of abstract right, I am not sure we couldn't set up a pretty good case. After all, a nation holds its country primarily to benefit itself, no doubt, but also in trust for the world; and the two things hang together. It benefits itself by observing that trust. N

a question the others felt an impulse to ask, 'is, how on earth

imself and replied w

you think, I have always looked forward to

into Parliament

with the laugh. 'It's rather

a contradiction of terms in the phrase, and he undoubtedly blushed. A question shot

r as he stood by the door of her brougham,

ns, I should sa

ly showed signs of it, except that once,

d some insistence u

ined to agree with you,'

the square before lun

lin

view, certainly. Wh

's vices in clear colours and added a few which occurred to me at the m

cried Mrs. Willoughby, an

s honest

as he

rks very hard; scent

by heaved a s

for him, then. Will h

ing l

uestions Drake put t

sking for the reason. She sat for a moment di

Conway. I had

He is just making a back for

look upon Mallinson and himself as the two figures which tell the weather in a Swiss clock. When one

ou imply a comparison between Miss Le Mesurier and t

hold with you about Clarice,' she said. 'You don'

five minutes. I ha

y to engage in the oft-repeated combat as to Miss

care for him

hby's eyes at the moment, and answ

y the way, I suppose he will get on?' She spoke in a voice which impli

ions. You hit harder than you knew at lunch, for the force carries machine-guns. Oh yes, he'll get on. He has been se

hink Clarice

ated shake of the head. 'Because Miss Le Mesurier always reminds me of an ode of Horace, Finished, exquisite to the finger-

'Objection?' she laughed. 'Why?

but every one at lunch-

. You may be able to advise me. Not now!' she went on as Fielding bent forward with a very unusual interest. 'Let me see.

es

. I shall be in to no one else.' And Mrs. Willoug