Twice he rang the bell, still meditating.
"By Jove, she is stunning! She's a wonder!" he exclaimed to himself as
he stood in Mr. Sheratt's drawing-room. "She's got 'em all skinned a
mile, as Martin would say." It is safe to affirm that Mr. Dunn was not
referring to the middle-aged and highly respectable maid who had
opened the door to him. It is equally safe to affirm that this was the
unanimous verdict of the three men who, half an hour later, brought
their deliberations to a conclusion, frankly acknowledging to each
other that what they had one and all failed to achieve, the lady had
accomplished.
CHAPTER VI
THE WASTER'S REFUGE
"I say, you blessed Colonial, what's come over you?" Linklater was
obviously disturbed. He had just returned from a summer's yachting
through the Norway fjords, brown and bursting with life. The last
half-hour he had been pouring forth his experiences to his friend
Martin. These experiences were some of them exciting, some of them
of doubtful ethical quality, but all of them to Linklater at least
interesting. During the recital it was gradually borne in upon him that
his friend Martin was changed. Linklater, as the consciousness of the
change in his friend grew upon him, was prepared to resent it. "What the
deuce is the matter with you?" he enquired.
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