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"Nonsense. You go and Uncle Jim goes because to go is duty." "Then I think duty is a woman that accounts for it, Leila. I retire beaten." "You are very bad to-day but make Uncle Jim talk it all out to Aunt Ann." "He will, and soon. He has been routed by a dozen excuses. I told him at last that the mill business has leaked out and the village is saying things.
The Bagatelle she despised; that was slavery but slavery out of which she might any day be snatched, like Leila Hawtrey, by a prince charming who had made a success in life. Success to Lise meant money.
Ann, who thought that he was needlessly irritating a boy who to her mind was hurt and sore. "Come, Leila," she said rising. "We may meet you in the village, John; and do get your hair cut, and see Mr. Spooner and tell him no, I will write it." John was pleased to feel that he had other reasons for visiting Westways than his uncle's order. He went down the avenue whistling, and in no hurry.
"Oh, John, how stupid of us! Why, of course, it was Josiah." John was in a state of mind to enjoy the game, and shaking his head in negation said, "No, Josiah passed me long before. He had a lot of frogs he caught in Lonesome Man's Swamp." Miss Leila having exhausted all the possible explanations, said with sweet simplicity, "Did you ever find out the origin of that name? Who was the lonesome man?
And he looked up at Noel sitting opposite. How like the eyes were! And he thought: 'I wonder what Leila has become. One mustn't be uncharitable. That man is dead; she has been nursing two years. She must be greatly changed; I should certainly like to see her. I will go! Again he looked at Noel. Only yesterday she had renewed her request to be allowed to begin her training as a nurse.
She wouldn't give in, this oldest lady in the world, she meant to knit till she fell into the grave. And so Leila had gone! It hurt her to know that; and yet it pleased her. Acquiescence resistance! Why did Daddy always want to choose the way she should go? So gentle he was, yet he always wanted to! And why did he always make her feel that she must go the other way?
But I'm not going to cave in. Nor must you. The Piersons have plenty of pluck; you mustn't be a traitor to your blood. That's the last thing. Your boy would have told you to stick it. These are your 'trenches, and you're not going to be downed, are you?" After she had spoken there was a long silence, before Noel said: "Give me a cigarette, Leila." Leila produced the little flat case she carried.
She bent her head, and tried to hurry past. But his hand was held out, she could not help putting hers into it; and looking up hardily, she said: "You know about me, don't you?" His face, naturally so frank, seemed to clench up, as if he were riding at a fence. 'He'll tell a lie, she thought bitterly. But he did not. "Yes, Leila told me."
"Enjoy it," murmured Leila, "oh, would I not indeed!" Then she read on: "Tell Leila to write me all about the horses and the town, and if Josiah has been heard of. Tom McGregor writes me that after he is graduated next year, he means to try for a place in the army and get a year or two of army life before he settles down to help his father.
He acknowledged some consciousness of having been inconsistent. He had said one thing and done another. "You are worse than your aunt." Then Leila knew that Ann Penhallow had talked to the Squire. "Well," he said, "what's your opinion, Miss Grey?" "I think you're distanced." "What what! Wait a little.
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