Hilda Lessways

he S

t of the letters, Mr. Cannon issued somewhat hurriedly o

took his stick from the cor

Can

el

to speak

it? I’m i

ss the length of the room and deliberately close it, and though Mr. Cannon did not seem inclined to move, his eyes followed the direction of hers and he must ha

said timidly, but not witho

morrow af

o be influenced by danger or difficulty, which indeed nearly always had the effect of confirming her purpose. If someth

tment in her clear voice. “I must speak

an inarticulate noise of

your things on and walk

rs. She had buttoned her jacket and knotted her thick scarf, and now, with the letter

meaning the Saracen’s Head—the central rendezvous of the t

ened the keen air. She was extremely afraid, and considered herself an abject coward, but she was determined to the point of desperation. He ought to know the truth and he ought to know it at once: nothing else mattered. She reflected in her terror: “If I don’t begin right off, he w

ractically starving,” she said abrup

pose that he knew about Miss Gailey’s condition. She had affirmed to Janet Orgreave her absolute assurance that he did not

oved sharply sidew

timidly now, almost apologetically. “I felt sure yo

an—starving?” h

replied, with the direc

d this tale

e said. “I was

told

f mine—who’

t w

right for me t

g silence to the corner of th

tter-box,” he

htness of the starry night she saw that his face had a sardonic, meditative smile. The middle part of the l

. I know, if you’d known... but what with her ne

d have been ashamed, humiliated, even though aware of innocence. But he contrived to rise above such weakness. She was glad; she admired him. And

i

girl and he a mature and important male. She thought their relation in that moment exquisitely beautiful. She was happy because she had been exceedingly afraid and the fear had gone. The dark Square and far-stretching streets lay

icer,” said Mr.

an responded, with respect and sturdy se

filled with a delicious sadness. It was Janet’s train. In some first-class compartment Janet and her father were shut together, side by side, intimate, mutually understanding. Again, a beautiful relation! From the summit of a high kiln in the middle distance, flames shot intermittently forth, formidable. Crockery was being fired in the night: and unseen the fireman somewhere flitted about the mouths of the kiln. And

isdom—“I was only thinking I’d got the very thing for my half-sister—the very opening for her

late now?” Hild

nd see her tomorrow morning first thing. It wouldn’t

urmured. “Well

proud, and beneath his inflexibility too sensitive, to do so. He meant to discover the truth for himself. He had believed—that was the essentia

tate the fine, free, calmly defiant b

rlour, pretending to be fretful, but secretly enchanted to welcome her, with a warm fire an

to bed. Half-past ten and after! Eh my! This going out afte

e sooner, only somethin

te content to remain in ignorance of what Hilda did in the mysterious office. Her conversation, profuse when she was in good spirits, rarely went beyond the trifling separate events of existence personal and

Hilda. “Mi

ame instantly a d

lankly, when Hilda had informed

old him—o

ou

aid Hilda, with an affectation of c

did he

retorted largely. “He had to take it!

ways bega

er’s the

answered the implied rebuke of Hilda’s brusque qu

n’t you think yo

d let that be understood! I don’t need my daughter to teach me when I ought to go and se

ry well!” Hilda so

me, whether she wants to or not! That’s what I sha

en they had gone upstairs

wered the culprit uncertai

ch it. You said you preferred to do it yourself. And now I shall be wait

ity and, grimacing, hauled up the heavy weights. This forgetfulness of her mother’s somehow increased her extr