Bliss, and Other Stories

aman's shop next door he bought a pineapple in the pink of condition, and noticing a basket of fresh black cherries he told John to put hi

off the box and tucked him

nell, while I give yer

" said Stanley. "You can m

re a touch and the b

rown bowler. He liked the way Pat had tucked him in, and he liked his eyes. There was nothing servile about him-and if there was o

get right out of that hole of a town once the office was closed; and this drive in the fresh warm air, knowing all the while that his own house

rooted in the bag and began to eat the cherries, three or four at a time, chucking the stones ove

mese twins. And he stuck them in his button-hole. . . . By Jove, he wouldn't mind giving that c

them to give him a couple of slices of cold meat and half a lettuce when he got home. And then he'd get a few chaps out from town to play tennis in the afternoon. Not too many-three at

ess of Death Thou didst open the Kingdom of Heaven to all Believers." And he saw the neat brass-edged card on the corner of the pew-Mr. Stanley Burnell and family. . . . The rest of the day he'd loaf about with Linda. . . . Now they were walking about the garden; she was on

had put the brake on again. Ugh! What a brute of a th

ht?" And then he did not believe it was until he heard Linda say: "Hullo! Are you home again?" That was the worst of living in the country-it took the deuce of a l

he mare's back and he coaxe

m the paddocks on either side there streamed the milky scent of ripe grass. The iron gates were open. T

said Pat, getting off the bo

ndeed, Pat,"

her voice rang in the shadowy qu

that he could hardly stop himself dashing

again. Is every

round to the side gate tha

he said to Linda, "I've brought you back a bottle of oysters and a pin

the other. Burnell shut the glass door, threw his hat down, put his arms round her

and she put the bottle of oysters and the pine on a little carved chair. "What have

, darling. The

if I save them. They'd spoil my appetite for dinne

up to table wearing large bibs embroidered with their names. They wiped their mouths as their father came in ready to be kissed.

the light. Isabel and Lottie sat one on either side of the

. He tightened his arm round Linda's shoulder. By G

nug," said Mrs. Fairfield, cutt

an town-eh, childr

and Isabel added as an after-thought: "T

aid Linda. "I'll b

rm. It was quite dark in the room. He heard her ring tapp

darling. I'll li

d again he put his arms round her an

oundedly hap

put her hands on his bre

t has come over m

da shut the window the cold dew touched her finger tips. Far away

had risen-that she was being strangely discovered in a flood of cold light. She shiv

.

the guitar. She had bathed and changed all her clothes. Now she wore a white mus

gone to her

e are

r hand to p

within

elf playing and singing. The firelight gleamed on her shoes, o

really would be rather struck," thought she. Still more softl

were not alone-you were sitting with your little feet upon a hassock, playing the gu

moon is a

the door. The servant girl's

eryl, I've got

of ice. She put the guitar in a corner. A

h that oving," said she. "I

!" said

and down. . . . Oh, she was restless, restless. There was a mirror over the mantel. She leaned her arms

face in the mirror. "You were not

so adorable that she smiled again-but t