To My Darling: A Collection of Short Stories

ith a delightful feeling that circumstances were turning out well for him that evening. In the first place, he was well aware that the Hindons kept

e of whom was very deaf and the other exceedingly greet, and both of whom

with it again. These reasons for gratification were, however, rather negative than positive, and would not have put him into such an exceedingly

her before. Her dark brown hair waved round her face in quite a nymph-like way, while t

dint of inherited good manners, however, he succeeded

rk, to which the fair one responded with a dimpling smile, talking to him so naturally t

told him a host of different things about herself, which, she evidently thought, migh

etween them. She told him, for instance, that among a host of other things, that she liked dogs and couldn't bear cats, that she hated leaving a ball before three o'clock, that she had a br

eeply interested in all these trivialities and in th

hom "Lord Jim," as he was commonly called, had successfully avoided, and to the joy of all t

wn friend; but his designs in that direction were instantly frustrated by his hostess, who

l, and they lost considerably. Several times during the evening he fancied he heard slight altercations at the other table and Lady Feathe

and chairs began to be moved back. During this move, Lady Featherley's grumbling tones were again heard from the

he soft voice, which trembled as it s

's tones in reply. Dacre turned to hi

s about?" he as

as she shuffled t

hing; and old Lady Featherley is furious, because she thinks she won't get paid. As far as that goes

e points?" as

ng points,

roups still discussing the game, he hurried after it. Hurrah! For a moment the coast was clear. The pompous butler and a yawning fo

ent that she was sobbing, and, forgetting etiquett

he matter?

. "I thought I understood the

, more as one stating a f

th a pair of hor

d she, "to Lady Featherley, and I h

rty could be heard on the landing. Dacre was a man of action, and in less t

r," he said. "You shall pay it to me in one

, and then he pressed a ca

tinued hurriedly. "Post the money to her the first thing tomo

e was about to speak. Dacre felt the urge to le

miss," said

d on her, gave him piteously grateful look, which seemed to beg

and to extract her address from the hostess. Yes, easy enough in the doing, but impossible to do. As he reflected on the storm of ridicule which would be raised by his question, he felt at onc

ly felt that on the dull horizon of his life a new interest had arisen. She seemed to draw him on from the dull, meaningless tri

in he was conscious he would follow it to the ends of the earth, whether it turn