You will take it for me, Royson, and pay
the cost?"
Dick went off as soon as the message was ready. Irene avoided him
ostentatiously while her grandfather was writing, and thereby laid
herself open to the unjust suspicion that she was flirting with him. In
very truth, she was torn with misgiving, and Royson's share in her
thoughts was even less than he imagined. Her quick brain divined that
the arrest of von Kerber had only strengthened the Austrian's claim on
Mr. Fenshawe's sympathies. Like all generous-souled men, her
grandfather ran to extremes, and she felt that it was hopeless now to
try and shake his faith in one whom he regarded as the victim of
persecution.
"Will Captain Stump come back for dinner?" inquired Mr. Fenshawe, after
he had glanced through the letters which Irene brought to him.
"I hope so. Mrs. Haxton went off in such a hurry that I forgot to
mention it."
"Was it illness, or anxiety, that sent her to the yacht?"
"A little of both, I fancy. But why should she be anxious? She did not
know that matters had gone wrong at the fort.
Pages:
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202