Her eyes were full of blinding tears.
"What is it, then?" urged Kenyon. And suddenly his voice was as soft as
a woman's. "Has the right man turned up unexpectedly, after all? Is it
for his sake?"
"Oh, don't!" she cried passionately. "Don't! You hurt me!"
And, turning sharply from him, she hid her face, and broke into
anguished weeping.
Kenyon stood quite still for perhaps ten seconds; then he moved close to
her, and put his arm round the slight, sobbing figure.
She did not start or attempt to resist him.
"There, there!" he whispered soothingly. "I knew there was a reason.
Don't cry, dear! It will be all right--all right. Never mind the beastly
money. There's going to be a big boom in the Winhalla Railway shares,
and you'll make your fortune over it. Yes; I know all about that. A
friend told me. There's a big capitalist pushing behind. They have gone
down this week, but they are going to rise like a spring tide next. And
then--you'll be free to marry the right man, eh, dear? I sha'n't stand
in your way. I'll even come and dance at the wedding, if you'll have
me."
She uttered a muffled laugh through her tears, and turned slightly
towards him within the encircling arm.
"I hope you will," she murmured. "Because--because--" She broke off, and
became silent.
Dick Kenyon's arm did not slacken.
"If you could make it convenient to finish that sentence of yours, I'd
be real grateful," he observed, at length.
Pages:
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261