Stocks was a man of
business, not above making a deal with an opponent; and for a little the
real Mr. Stocks emerged from his shell.
"You won't speak much in the coming fight, will you? You see, you are
rather heavy metal for a beginner like myself," he said, with commercial
frankness.
"No, my dear Stocks, to set your mind at rest, I won't. Lewis wants to
be knocked about a little, and he wants the fight to brace him. I'll
leave him to fight his own battles, and wish good luck to the better
man. Also, I won't come to your meetings and ask awkward questions."
Mr. Stocks bore malice only to his inferiors, and respected his betters
when he was not on a platform. He thanked Wratislaw with great
heartiness, and when Lady Manorwater found the two they were beaming on
each other like the most ancient friends.
"Has anybody seen Lewie?" she was asking. "He is the most scandalous
host in the world. We can't find boats or canoes and we can't find him.
Oh, here is the truant!" And the renegade host was seen in the wake of
Alice descending from the ridge.
Something in the attitude of the two struck the lady with suspicion.
Was it possible that she had been blind, and that her nephew was about
to confuse her cherished schemes? This innocent woman, who went through
the world as not being of it, had fancied that already Alice had fallen
in with her plans.
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