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They arranged to meet at luncheon the following day and quickly separated. Miss Mallory was now aware that her avenues of action would be closed, if it were noted that she had more than a casual interest in Andrew Bedient. The latter saw nothing further of Señor Rey for two days, and did not catch even a second glimpse of Jim Framtree.
"Yes.... I shall prepare to listen to great happiness." ... Beth reflected that she looked a belated forty; that she had lost her charm for the eye of Jim Framtree, who had treated her like a relative. She was ashamed to show her suffering to David Cairns ashamed that she cared but it was part of her. Happiness was in the air. She must listen. She marveled at her capacity to endure....
What came over him cannot be told a break in his fine control; a sudden realization that he was whipped; a resurgence of all the shattered strategies in his brain, many of which certain others of the party did not yet understand; his doubt of Framtree, or his inability to reach the weapon, the exact point which goaded him to black disorder was never known, but the fury of it concentrated upon the Glow-worm.
I've noticed that it's hard for folks to go straight at a thing." Framtree laughed again, and tried hard to understand what was in the other's mind. Bedient's simplicity was too deep for him. They talked for an hour, each singularly attracted, but evading any subject that would call in the matters of political unrest.
She had counted upon him for a message that would make Framtree his. She did not realize the meaning of the few words already spoken. There might be pistols secreted, where Framtree could find them. One shot and she was alone.... Bedient did not even adequately care for the pistol he had.
Framtree, if anywhere in the establishment, did not show himself outside, nor in the buffet, library, billiard-hall, nor lobby. The extent and grandeur of the house was astonishing, as well as the extreme efficiency of the service. A Chinese was within hand-clap momentarily. There seemed scores of them, fleet, silent, immaculate, full of understanding.
Framtree answered Bedient: "I suggested to the Señor that he let me see you, but he thought to the contrary. He is my commanding officer.... As for you, Bedient, all I have to say is that you carry a maniac's luck.
Bedient had looked upon him that moment, as if he would add his own soul's strength to the strength of Framtree.... The hours that followed, to the moment of the Henlopen's sailing, were hours of building. Framtree found himself locked in the concentration of Bedient's ideals matters of manhood fitted about him, that he had not aspired to.
Bedient may have guessed that the mystery of the return of Jim Framtree was penetrated by Beth, but he did not ask Miss Mallory, nor mention Framtree in his letters to the lustrous lady. He doubtless wondered at the hasty return of his young friend, but it was a privilege of Beth to return his gifts one of the glowing mysteries of Beth.
Framtree shivered and fell silent. "You've found work that you like here?" Bedient asked simply. The other glanced at him humorously, and yet with a bit of intensity, too, as if searching for the meaning under such an unadorned question. "I seem to have caught on with Señor Rey at The Pleiad," he replied. "Ah " "I'm afraid you're making a mistake, sir," Framtree added quickly.
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