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"I didn't suppose you could be interested in any woman not that I mind your interfering with any little affair between Cecile and me " "There wasn't any." "I beg your pardon, Drene " "There wasn't any!" repeated Drene, with curt contempt. "Don't talk about her, anyway." "You mean I'm not to talk about a common artist's model " "Not that way." "Oh. Is she yours?" "She isn't anybody's, I fancy.
Suppose about eleven o'clock on Christmas night you give your automatic a thorough cleaning. "If you say so." "You have one?" "I shall buy one." "Didn't you come here armed?" "No." Drene looked at him very intently. But Graylock had never been a liar. After a few moments he went over to his desk, replaced the weapon under the papers, and, still busy, said over his shoulder: "All right.
The latter lighted a cigarette, expelled the smoke in two thin streams from his abnormally narrow nostrils. "Some skirt," he repeated. "And it looks as though old Drene had her number " Guilder's level voice interrupted: "The contracts are ready to be " But Graylock, not heeding, and perhaps not hearing, and looking all the time at Quair, said slowly: "Drene isn't that kind.... Is he?"
"Why he asked me to marry him. It was the only thing he had not asked." "He asked that?" "After he realized it was the only way, I suppose," she said coolly. Drene took her into his arms and kissed her deliberately on the mouth. Looking up at him she said: "After all, he is your friend, isn't he?" "A friend of many years. But, as you say, what is a woman between friends?"
Meanwhile, I have my own beliefs." "That's all that's necessary," said Guilder, gravely, " to entertain some belief, temporary or final." He smiled slightly down at Drene's drawn, gray visage. "You and I have been friends of many years, Drene, but we have never before talked this way.
A sudden sweat chilled his temples, but he said steadily enough: "I'd like to say a word or two if you'll give me time." And, as Drene made no reply; "You're quite right: This business of ours should be finished one way or another. I can't stand it any longer." "In that case," remarked Drene with an evil stare at him, "I may postpone it to find out how much you can stand."
That's about all life holds for me a sheet of glass and four empty walls and a fistfull of wet clay." "Are you a trifle morbid, Drene?" "I'm not by any means; I merely prefer to live this way. I have sufficient means to live otherwise if I wish.
Like the rest of us, eh? Oh, well my hat off to old Drene if he wins out. I hold no malice. After all, Graylock, what's a woman between friends?" And he nodded gaily at Graylock and sauntered leisurely to the window. And kept his back turned, fearful of exploding with laughter in the very face of the man who had been staring at him out of pale, unchanging eyes so steadily and so long.
I don't know what her engagements may be." "One of her engagements just now seems to be to go about with Graylock," said Guilder. Drene flushed, but said nothing. "If he marries her," added Guilder, "as it's generally understood he is trying to, the best sculptor's model in town is out of the question. Better secure her now." "He wants to marry her?" repeated Drene, in a curiously still voice.
It's for women to repair to under certain and natural circumstances." "I've so much on hand " "It's only a single figure-barring the dove. Why don't you do it?" "There are plenty of other men " "They want you. There'll be no difficulty about terms." Drene said with a shrug: "Terms are coming to mean less and less to me, Guilder. It costs very little for me to live." He turned his gray, tired face.
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