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"Many people since Haystoun's book," said the other. "I have just glanced at it. Is there anything important in it?" "Nothing that we did not know before. But things are put in a fresh light. He covered ground himself of which we had only a second-hand account." "And he talks of this Bardur?" "A good deal. He is an expert in his way on the matter and uncommonly clever.
She knew we were coming out here, for I told her, and she was very interested." "Yes, it's odd, for I suppose she had read Mr. Haystoun's book, where my husband comes in a good deal. I shall tell her about seeing you in my next letter. And now tell me your plans." Lewis's face had begun to burn in a most compromising way.
"The people I employ sent me these about him to-day." And he laid them out on his knee. The first of them was long, and consisted of a belated review of Mr. Haystoun's book. George, who never read such things, handed it to Arthur, who glanced over the lines and returned it.
Arthur slipped one into his pocket, but tore open the other and read. "It's from Lewie," he cried. "He wants me down there next week at Etterick. He says he is all alone and crazy to see old friends again." "Mine's the same!" said George, after puzzling out Mr. Haystoun's by no means legible writing. "I say, John, of course we'll go. It's the very chance we were wishing for."
The wheel of his fortunes was bringing him very near the top. All the way up he had had Alice for a companion; and that young woman, happy from a wholly different cause, had been wonderfully gracious. He felt himself on Mr. Lewis Haystoun's level at last, and the baffling sense of being on a different plane, which he had always experienced in his company, was gone, he hoped, for ever.
"Whew!" said George. "Poor beggar, to have such stuff written about him!" The fourth discussed the possible retirement of Sir Robert Merkland, the member for Gledsmuir, and his possible successor. Mr. Haystoun's name was mentioned, "though indeed," said the wiseacre, "that gentleman has never shown any decided leanings to practical politics.
Stocks would claim more of her society than ever. With feminine inconsistency she visited her repugnance towards that gentleman on his innocent rival. But Mr. Lewis Haystoun's light-hearted manner of regarding the business struck the little Puritan deeper.
And eveybody would talk about him as a great success in life; but we you and I and Tommy who know him better, would feel that it was all a ghastly failure." Mr. Lewis Haystoun's character erred in its simplicity, for it was at the mercy of every friend for comment. "What makes you dread the women so?" asked Arthur with a smile. "I don't dread 'em.
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