Ambrotox and Limping Dick

d by Gorgon with his tongue hanging out of his mouth, entered the hall by the

matter, dad?

Home Office at one-thirty p.m. I should think he would be! If the message had been sent in ti

"Grab your hat and tie i

y, was in time to see the ca

they going?

replied Amaryllis. "Dick says he ca

stian name, but also the girl's

Office. Who's Sir Charles Co

he answered. "I suppose Broad

king of Amaryllis rather than of perman

y, you know,"

hought her face showed embarrassment-

ooking down at her with eyes curiously contracted. "B

d, with frank kindness. "And,

occasion display; and he had often asked himself in what attitude or action her inherent grace appeared most charming. Sometimes it was driving from the tee, at another taking a swift volley which she must run to meet; or, again, just pouring out his cof

him that the teeth he had cried pity on were sound as ever; so that he rake

e, flinging backward in her face a clouded reflection from the future. The imag

feet and pushing back loosened hair. "It's nearly lunch

ount that flight of broad, shallow steps; yet, being unable at once to make

icism was lost in curiosity. Its subtle curves blended expec

ad, and turned to see his brother standing i

him left Amaryllis little les

s could not eat even another éclair, when

lied, and folded h

ill six o'cloc

a little uneasily, "and as much

take, and shook his

d thing for you to marry me. You have no idea how good I should be to you. I have money and position. You like

irl, pained by his eagernes

a mean advantage. If I do it now, don't listen to me. But, if I'

"Worth ever so much more, dear Sir Randal, than I could give. But

d. "Go on. Was

' Oh, please understand. I like you awfully,

ent neith

nd, don't you?"

ered; then added gently: "There's

r eyes wide, almost

Truthfully, I don't know a

t for a long time, wishi

s wondered why Dick Bellamy was so taciturn-silent and sombr

f men, was for once at war with himself. The mi

finition of "being in love." For, having more than once believed himse

ghts so that nothing else interested him, he had

the sea just because there is a lifebuoy handy. Secure, therefore, in his power to escape, it was not until this aftern

ached what he considered this clear alternative. He was a man who seldom lied to him

g fond of because he's afraid of marriage. But I'm not. I'm the coward who's up to his knees, and f

she now and then forced the note, caught her motive, and responding, smoothed her way. But Dick, having from childhood accepted Randal's immunity

ther from the table. And so, when the trunk-call came to tell them he was dining with the Secretary of State and would

mself on the plea of letter-writing, and Am

nobtrusively, and wondered wh

Caldegard?" he

u know what. You, though I've never seen you do anything, look keener than any man I ever saw;

want to answer 'em

e girl, laughing-a

up?" ask

s one of my letters this morning that I never looked at. We were talking such

oney," sugg

too much." Then, to the parlour-maid she had summoned: "I have left some letters on my table. If there's one that ha

ered. "It was soon over, and not so bad as it might have been. The omelette w

ime Minister do?

was, and went out of

it a

aid Dick. "

she was gone, Amaryllis eyed the writing on the enve

do," h

d glanced a

d. "Neither money nor bad news. Foolishn

tearing it, she

red, more to herself than Dick; and rising

ing her, Randal came up the narrow corridor from the study.

. "Give me fifty, and I'

head. "Too lazy

d gone to bed?

coming back-though she

u were showing me. See you again,

he sound of their voices, but not their

foot of the stair; and when he did raise his eyes, it was to find hers averted, and to see her turn at once to her left and make for the st

his feet-and sat down again. If she

ly knew what he was doing before he found himself at the study door, and i

the door as softly

there, shining head bent over the table and lit by the broad circl

alized that she had not heard his

ked round at him, and he

," he said. "Do tell

ied to spea

he said. "When you're in a hole, the strang

s shook

if I can't help

nt, was struck with a consoling sense of protection, and knew that, while he was the last person she could "take her trouble to

eyes. "But I'm going to be good. Please be a dear, Mr. Be

omi

" said A

the passage with the limp which was always mo

on the lowest step. But the bond of the protection which had been accepted even wh

scontented mood of the afternoon, laughing softly as he admitted that it had needed onl

ce as she looked up at him

mes. The cigar had been a dead stump betwee

ice broke h

ls about," he said. "Come and

I'll play. Let's go and fetch Miss Ca

said Randal.

It was an hour since he had left her and he wa

or, entered quic

he's gone!"

u mean?" a

," said Dick. "She's not come out

" said his brother. "Here's the fren

lock. I tell you there's something wrong," said Dick, taking one stride to the

your safe

he alcove, between whose looped curtains showed the green

ere's a key

ours?" sna

al, pulling a bun

k in

e heavy door, groped for a minute, a

gone?" c

drug-bottle