The Profiteers

ce which her coming had caused amongst the little company. The four men had risen to their feet. Kendrick was hol

just arrived from New York, Josephine, and he wants to know which a

most eagerly, as though he were conjuring up to himself pictures of her in some former state and trying to reconcile them with her present appearance. She, on her side, seemed to be realising some secret and indefinable pleasure. The lines of her beautiful mouth, too often, nowadays, weary and drooping, softened into a quiet, almost mysterious smile.

pe that Miss Baldwin's remark will not prejudice me in your opinion.

air which had been brought for her, "a little frivoli

n our bread and butter now on the Stock Exchange. Even our friend Maurice here, who works as lon

declared. "I believe that Jimmy could afford to mar

assured her promptly. "Girls nowadays talk

at was my profession, Mr. Wingate? If you do need anything in the shape of a comfortable

e, listen to that young

rned him, "three cylinders missing, and the fourth ma

e White put in. "There isn't an insurance co

e to the other in wel

who aren't regular clients at all, why you should butt in and try to spoil my chances, I can't think. Mr. Wingate is just my conceptio

htest notice of all the rubbish these unkind people have been saying.

love," Sarah declared. "

king me back to the Mi

egretfully, glancing d

ay. I'll send you my card and telephone number, Mr. Wingate. You can rely upon my punctuality and dispatch. Even my aunt here

ng people go on anyhow now. Here's my niece drives a taxicab and is proud of it, my own daughter designs underclothes and sells them at a shop in Sloane Street

is lunch money, proba

me Sunday night, John. I'll ask Josephine, too, if you succeed in making friends with her. She's a little difficult, but

Sarah declared, "until

n and fet

of you round here. Roger, you and Mr. White are disgraceful, sitting and drinking whiskies and sodas

er. "To add to my satisfaction, I have met my biggest client-at

ng things now, Mr. Wi

held out his h

en a man comes on to a market, he comes on secretly. There are plenty of people w

e interposed smilingly, "because my answer to Mi

on't you and Maurice, Roger, go and dance about opposite one another, and tear up bits of paper, and pretend to be s

y. Sarah drew a

"I always feel a sense of tranquili

rose to

cided, "while the stock of t

e," Wingate said, "I

ittle casual. They were

ouched Wingate

in the City to-

Wingate suggested, "if

hings I want to t

my card?" Sarah ca

" he replied, "wi

a littl

nfully. "An American gener

ngate retorted, "he p

asked, as he handed Jo

," she answered. "You mustn't let m

u, and I don't want to say it here. May we drive to Albert Gate and wal

that very much,

ve, or during the first part of their walk in the

e?" he begged,

de by side. He took off his h

s been realised," he said quietly.

lush stole through the pallor of her cheeks, her ti

murmured. "You really h

ou in that white stone hall, in your cool Sister's dress. After the dust and horror of battle there seemed to be nothing in that wonderful hospital of yours but sunlight and white w

t you remember

ten days of convalescence out in the gardens of your villa a

r you say so,"

, terrible drama, played out amongst all the accompaniments which make hell out of eart

it to go. They

ne forgot. I've been back to England three times since then, and each t

ital I made it a strict rule that our names in civil life were nev

ry lightly, lingered for a

knowing that, I desired to know no more. I suppose that sounds rather li

rked, with a rather sad smile. "I have been married nine y

ith a man whom I have always

oined, a little bitterly, "nor does he take me int

u out, for the reason I have given you, but since we have met you wi

ughed

t five o'clock. There will be no one else there, and we can talk of those

knew when I glanced at Lady Amesbury's card this morning that something was

enture?" she

shaped, her eyes rather deep-set. She had a long, graceful neck, and resting upon her throat, fastened by a thin platinum chain, was a single sapphire. There was about her just that same delicate femininity, that exquisite aroma of womanliness and tender sexuality which had impressed him so much upon their first meeting.

enjoyed our meeting, but alas!" she added, glancing at her watch, "you see the time

d they strolled slowly along o

difference. You must meet him, of course-my husband, I mean. You will not like him and he will not und

quietly. "I knew it when you fir

better. Sometimes I think they are more than I can bear. Tonight I feel incli

ngst the rank and file. I want to be something different to you in life-mor

d with tears as she

oughts for so long. If you wish to keep your place, you will find very little c

as he stopped a taxi

n the recipient, you know. You have given me more happiness with

rought happiness into her laugh, a

asily satisfied

rned him that here was a woman passing through something like a crisis in her life, and that a single