Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
"Why, what does this mean?" "Here is your money. Will you take it please?" "No, I won't take it, until you explain " She opened her fingers, and the bills fell to the floor. "All right," she said. Conward's eyes had shifted to Dave. "You are at the bottom of this, Elden," he said. "What does it mean?"
His first underlying sense of distrust had been lulled by closer acquaintanceship; Conward's mild manner and quiet, seductive voice invited friendship, and it became a customary thing for the two to play for small stakes, which Dave won as often as he lost. One Saturday evening as Dave was on the way to their accustomed resort he fell in with Conward on the street.
Only Dave knew how his blood leaped to that suggestion. But the world must go on. Conward's habitual cigarette hung from its accustomed short tooth, and his round, florid face seemed puffier than usual. His aversion to any exercise more vigorous than offered by a billiard cue was beginning to reflect itself in a premature rotundity of figure.
Hardy; he adjusted the blinds to a nicety; he discarded his cigarette and beamed upon them with as great a show of cordiality as his somewhat beefy appearance would permit. The years had not been over kind to Conward's person.
Dave thought he had not before seen so much womanly charm in any figure. "Do join us," said Mrs. Hardy. It was evident to Mrs. Hardy that it would be correct for her to support Mr. Conward's invitation. "You are very kind," said Dave, as he seated himself. "I had not hoped for this pleasure." And yet the pleasure was not unmixed. He felt that Conward had out-played him.
It was particularly distasteful to Elden to be obliged to add his word to Conward's in such matters, for although Conward carefully refrained from making any direct reference to Mrs. Hardy's purchase, the inference that great profits would accrue to her therefrom was very obvious. A tall man passed by with a richly gowned woman on his arm. "Jim Farley," Conward explained. "Plasterer by trade.
She had no personal knowledge or experience which could be summoned for such an occasion. She would like to have asked Dave's advice; instinctively she distrusted Conward. Yet, . . . . Conward was Dave's partner. It was impossible to attribute honest motives to one half of the firm and deny them to the other. And it was unreasonable to expect that Dave's advice would conflict with Conward's.
Hardy, without knowing it, was as much a devotee of caste as any Oriental. And Dave was born out of the caste. Nothing could alter that fact. His assumption of the manners of a gentleman merely aggravated his offence. It was also apparent that Conward's friendship for Mrs. Hardy did not react to Dave's advantage.
It was the first low wave and Conward's ear had caught it. . . At any rate, he could use Conward's story about the land sale. That was news legitimate news. Of course, it might be a faked sale faked for its news value but reporters are not paid for being detectives. The rule was to publish the news while it was hot. Nothing is so perishable as news.
Back in Conward's office, while the agreement was being drawn, Irene was possessed of a consuming desire to consult with Dave Elden. She was uneasy about this transaction in which her mother proposed so precipitately to invest the greater part of their little fortune. But the more she thought over the situation the more its difficulties became apparent.
Word Of The Day