to him that hath-第3章

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my　cousin　left　me　in　your　care。〃

〃Oh；　indeed！　　Well；　come　along　then；　since　our　hero　is　so　good。
Really；　I　am　uplifted　to　quite　an　unusual　height　of　glorious
exultation。〃

〃Don't　rub　it　in；　Frank；〃　said　Jack　gloomily。　　〃I　made　an　ass　of
myself；　I　know　quite　well。〃

〃What　rot；　Jack。　　Every　one　of　your　friends　was　tickled　to　death。〃

〃Adrien；　for　instance；　eh？〃　said　Jack　with　a　bitter　little　laugh；
taking　his　place　at　the　wheel。

〃Oh；　Adrien！〃　replied　Frances。　　〃Well；　you　know　Adrien！　　She　is
just　Adrien。〃

As　he　turned　into　the　street　there　was　a　sound　of　rushing　feet。

〃Hello；　Captain　Jack！　　Oh；　Captain　Jack！　　Wait　for　me！　　You　have
room；　haven't　you？〃

A　whirlwind　of　flashing　legs　and　windblown　masses　of　gold…red　hair；
which　realised　itself　into　a　young　girl　of　about　sixteen；　bore　down
on　the　car。　　It　was　Adrien's　younger　sister；　Patricia；　and　at　once
her　pride　and　her　terror。

〃Why；　Patsy；　where　on　earth　did　you　come　from？　　Of　course！　　Get　in！
Glad　to　have　you；　old　chap。〃

〃Oh；　Captain　Jack；　what　a　game！　　What　a　wonderful　game！　　And　Rupert
has　been　playing　all　summer　and　awfully　well！　　And　you　have　hardly
played　a　game！　　I　was　awfully　pleased〃

〃Were　you？　　I'm　not　sure　that　I　was；〃　replied　Captain　Jack。

〃Well；　you　WERE　savage；　you　know。　　You　looked　as　if　you　were　in　a
fight。〃

〃Did　I？　　That　was　very　rotten　of　me；　wasn't　it？〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　know　exactly。　　But　it　was　a　wonderful　game。　　Of
course；　one　doesn't　play　tennis　like　a　fight；　I　suppose。〃

〃No！　　You　are　quite　right；　Pat；〃　replied　Captain　Jack。　　〃You　see；
I'm　afraid　I　lost　my　temper　a　bit；　which　is　horribly　bad　form　I
know；　andwell；　I　wanted　to　fight　rather　than　play；　and　of　course
one　couldn't　fight　on　the　tennis　court　in　the　presence　of　a　lot　of
ladies；　you　see。〃

〃Well；　I'm　glad　you　didn't　fight；　Captain　Jack。　　You　have　had
enough　of　fighting；　haven't　you？　　And　Rupert　is　really　very　nice；
you　know。　　He　has　a　wonderful　car　and　he　lets　me　drive　it；　and　he
always　brings　a　box　of　chocolates　every　time　he　comes。〃

〃He　must　be　perfectly　lovely；〃　said　Captain　Jack；　with　a　grin　at
her。

The　girl　laughed　a　laugh　of　such　infectious　jollity　that　Captain
Jack　was　forced　to　join　with　her。

〃That's　one　for　you；　Captain　Jack；〃　she　cried。　　〃I　know　I　am　a　pig
where　chocs　are　concerned；　and　I　do　love　to　drive　a　car。　　But；
really；　Rupert　is　quite　nice。　　He　is　so　funny。　　He　makes　Mamma
laugh。　　Though　he　does　tease　me　a　lot。〃

Captain　Jack　drove　on　in　silence　for　some　moments。

〃I　was　glad　to　see　you　playing　though　to…day；　Captain　Jack。〃

〃Where　were　you？　　I　didn't　see　you　anywhere。〃

〃Not　likely！〃　　She　glanced　behind　her　at　the　others　in　the　back
seat。　　She　need　not　have　given　them　a　thought；　they　were　too　deeply
engrossed　to　heed　her。　　〃Do　you　know　where　I　was？　　In　the　crutch　of
the　big　elmyou　know！〃

〃Don't　I！〃　said　Captain　Jack。　　〃A　splendid　seat；　but〃

〃Wouldn't　Adrien　be　shocked？〃　said　the　girl；　with　a　deliciously
mischievous　twinkle　in　her　eye。　　〃Or；　at　least；　she　would　pretend
to　be。　　Adrien　thinks　she　must　train　me　down　a　bit；　you　know。　　She
says　I　have　most　awful　manners。　　She　wants　Mamma　to　send　me　over　to
England　to　her　school。　　But　I　don't　want　to　go；　you　bet。　　Besides；
I　don't　think　Dad　can　afford　it　so　they　can't　send　me。　　Anyway；　I
could　have　good　manners　if　I　wanted　to。　　I　could　act　just　like
Adrien　if　I　wanted　toI　mean；　for　a　while。　　But　that　was　a　real
game。　　I　felt　sorry　for　Rupert；　a　little。　　You　see；　he　didn't　seem
to　know　what　to　do　or　how　to　begin。　　And　you　looked　so　terrible！
Now　in　the　game　with　Cousin　Sidney　you　were　so　different；　and　you
played　so　awfully　well；　too；　but　differently。　　Somehow；　it　was　just
like　gentlemen　playing；　you　know〃

〃You　have　hit　it；　Patsy；a　regular　bull！〃　said　Captain　Jack。

〃Oh；　I　don't　mean〃　began　the　girl　in　confusion；　rare　with　her。

〃Yes；　you　do；　Pat。　　Stick　to　your　guns。〃

〃Well；　I　will。　　The　first　game　everybody　loved　to　watch。　　The
second　gamesomehow　it　made　me　wish　Rupert　had　been　a　Hun。　　I'd
have　loved　it　then。〃

〃By　Jove；　Patsy；　you're　right　on　the　target。　　You've　scored　again。〃

〃Oh；　I'm　not　saying　just　what　I　wantbut　I　hope　you　know　what　I
mean。〃

〃Your　meaning　hits　me　right　in　the　eye。　　And　you　are　quite　right。
The　tennis　court　is　no　place　for　a　fight；　eh？　　And；　after　all；
Rupert　Stillwell　is　no　Hun。〃

〃But　you　haven't　been　playing　this　summer　at　all；　Captain　Jack；〃
said　the　girl；　changing　the　subject。　　〃Why　not？〃　　The　girl's　tone
was　quite　severe。　　〃And　you　don't　do　a　lot　of　things　you　used　to
do；　and　you　don't　go　to　places；　and　you　are　different。〃　　The　blue
eyes　earnestly　searched　his　face。

〃Am　I　different？〃　he　asked　slowly。　　〃Well；　everybody　is　different。
And　then；　you　know；　I　am　busy。　　A　business　man　has　his　hours　and　he
must　stick　to　them。〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　believe　you　a　bit。　　You　don't　need　to　be　down　at　the
mills　all　the　time。　　Look　at　Rupert。　　He　doesn't　need　to　be　at　his
father's　office。〃

〃Apparently　not。〃

〃He　gets　off　whenever　he　wants　to。〃

〃Looks　like　it。〃

〃And　why　can't　you？〃

〃Well；　you　see；　I　am　not　Rupert；〃　said　Captain　Jack；　grinning　at
her。

〃Now　you　are　horrible。　　Why　don't　you　do　as　you　used　to　do？　　You
know　you　could　if　you　wanted　to。〃

〃Yes；　I　suppose；　if　I　wanted　to；〃　said　Captain　Jack；　suddenly
grave。

〃You　don't　want　to；〃　said　the　girl；　quick　to　catch　his　mood。

〃Well；　you　know；　Patsy　dear；　things　are　different；　and　I　suppose　I
am　too。　　I　don't　care　much　for　a　lot　of　things。〃

〃You　just　look　as　if　you　didn't　care　for　anything　or　anybody
sometimes；　Captain　Jack；〃　said　Patricia　quietly。　　Then　after　a　few
moments　she　burst　forth：　　〃Oh；　don't　you　remember　your　hockey　team？
Oh！　oh！　oh！　　I　used　to　sit　and　just　hold　my　heart　from　jumping。　　It
nearly　used　to　choke　me　when　you　would　tear　down　the　ice　with　the
puck。〃

〃That　was　long　ago；　Pat　dear。　　I　guess　I　wasahvery　young　then；
eh？〃

〃Yes；　I　know；〃　nodded　the　girl。　　〃I　feel　the　same　wayI　was　just　a
kid　then。〃

〃Ah；　yes；〃　said　Captain　Jack；　with　never　a　smile。　　〃You　were　just
let's　seetwelve；　was　it？〃

〃Yes；　twelve。　　And　I　felt　just　a　kid。〃

〃And　now？〃　　Captain　Jack's　voice　was　quite　grave。

〃Now？　　Well；　I　am　not　exactly　a　kid。　　At　least；　not　the　same　kind
of　kid。　　And；　as　you　say；　a　lot　of　things　are　different。　　I　think　I
know　how　you　feel。　　I　was　like　that；　tooafterafterHerbert〃
The　girl　paused；　with　her　lips　quivering。　　〃It　was　all　different
so　different。　　Everything　we　used　to　do；　I　didn't　feel　like　doing。
And　I　suppose　that's　the　way　with　you；　Captain　Jack；　with　Andyand
then　your　Mother；　too。〃　　She　leaned　close　to　him　and　put　her　hand
timidly　on　his　arm。

Captain　Jack；　sitting　up　very　straight　and　looking　very　grave；　felt
the　thrill　of　the　timid　touch　run　through　his　very　heart。　　A　rush
of　warm；　tender　emotion　such　as　he　had　not　allowed　himself　for　many
months　suddenly　surprised　him；　filling　his　eyes　and　choking　his
throat。　　Since　his　return　from　the　war　he　had　without　knowledge
been　yearning　for　just　such　an　understanding　touch　as　this　child
with　her　womanly　instinct　had　given　him。　　He　withdrew　one　hand　from
the　wheel　and　took　the　warm　clinging　fingers　tight　in　his　and
waited　in　silence　till　he　was　sure　of　himself。　　He　drove　some
blocks　before　he　was　quite　master　of　his　voice。　　Then；　releasing
the　fingers；　he　turned　his　face　toward　the　girl。

〃You　are　a　real　pal；　aren't　you；　Patsy　old　girl？〃　he　said　with　a
very　bright　smile　at　her。

〃I　want　to　be！　　Oh；　I　would　love　to　be！〃　she　said；　with　a　swift
intake　of　breath。　　〃And　after　a　while　you　will　be　just　as　you　were
before　you　went　away。〃

〃Hardly；　I　fear；　Patsy。〃

〃Well；　not　the　same；　but　different　from　what　you　are　now。　　No；　I
don't　mean　that　a　bit；　Captain　Jack。　　But　perhaps　you　knowI　do
want　to　see　you　on　the　ice　again。　　Oh；　it　would　be　wonderful！　　Of
course；　the　old　team　wouldn't　be　thereHerbert　and　Phil　and　Andy。
Why！　　You　are　the　only　one　left！　　And　Rupert。〃　　She　added　the　name
doubtfully。　　〃It　WOULD　be　different！　oh；　so　different！　　Oh！　I　don't
wonder　you　don't　care；　Captain　Jack。　　I　won't　wonder〃　　There　was
a　little　choke　in　the　young　voice。　　〃I　see　it　now〃

〃I　think　you　understand；　Patsy；　and　you　are