He felt a hot
flush creeping upon him; his forehead grew damp. He feared to raise his
eyes.
"Is that a bargain?" asked Helen, sweetly.
Henry Leroux found a lump in his throat; but he lifted his untidy head
and took the hand which the girl had extended to him. She smiled a bit
unnaturally; then every tinge of color faded from her cheeks, and Henry
Leroux, unconsciously holding the white hand in a vice-like grip, looked
hungrily into the eyes grown suddenly tragic whilst into his own came
the light of a great and sorrowful understanding.
"God bless you," he said. "I will do anything you wish."
Helen released her hand, turned, and ran from the study. Not until she
was on the landing did she dare to speak. Then:--
"Garnham shall come down immediately. Don't be late for dinner!" she
called--and there was a hint of laughter and of tears in her voice, of
the restraint of culture struggling with rebellious womanhood.
XI
PRESENTING M. GASTON MAX
Not venturing to turn on the light, not daring to look upon her own face
in the mirror, Helen Cumberly sat before her dressing-table, trembling
wildly. She wanted to laugh, and wanted to cry; but the daughter of
Seton Cumberly knew what those symptoms meant and knew how to deal with
them.
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