Half a Hero | Page 8

engrossed in conversation, they reached Medland's house without separating.
"Come in and see Daisy," said Medland. "She's been alone all the evening, poor girl, and will be glad of better company than mine."
"Oh, come, I expect she likes your society better than any one else's."
"Well, that won't last long, will it?"
They went in and found Daisy supping on the wing of a chicken, and some wine-and-water. Medland led the way, and, as soon as his daughter saw him, she exclaimed,
"Was it very awful, father?"
"Well, was it, Mr. Derosne?" he asked of Dick. "Daisy, this is the Governor's brother, Mr. Derosne."
"It was awful!" said Dick, executing his bow. "Those great feeds always are."
"Why, Daisy," exclaimed Mr. Medland, "you're drinking wine. How about Mrs. Puttock?"
"Oh, she told you? She said it was very wicked."
"And you?"
"Oh, I said it wasn't, because you did it."
"Luckily, a conclusion may be right, though the reason for it is utterly wrong," said the Premier.
"I," said Dick, "always admit things are wicked, you know, and say I do 'em all the same. It saves a lot of argument."
The door opened and Mr. Norburn walked in.
"Is it too late for me to come?" he asked.
"Of course not," said Daisy, greeting him with evident pleasure, and ensconcing him in an armchair. "We expect you to come at all the odd times. That's the part of an intimate friend, isn't it, Mr. Derosne?"
Medland was speaking to Norburn, and Dick took the opportunity of remarking,
"Mayn't I come at an odd time now and then?"
"Oh do. We shall be so pleased."
"Mr. Norburn doesn't come at all of them, does he?"
"At most. Do you mind that?"
"Of course I do. Who wouldn't?"
"I don't."
"No, if you did I shouldn't."
Dick was, it must be admitted, getting along very well, considering that he had only been presented to the young lady ten minutes before. That was Dick's way; and when the young lady is attractive, it is a way that has many recommendations, only sometimes it leads to a pitfall--a cold answer, or a snub.
"But why," asked Daisy, in apparent surprise, "should you mind about what I thought? I'm afraid I should never think about whether you liked it or not, you know."
"Good-night," said Dick. And when he got outside and was lighting his cigar, he exclaimed, "Confound the girl!" And after a pause he added, "Hang the fellow!" and shook his head and went home.
CHAPTER IV.
WEEDING OUT THE WEAK-KNEED.
In a short time it happened that Lady Eynesford conceived a high opinion of Mr. Coxon. He was, she declared, the one bright spot in the new Ministry; he possessed ability, principle, sound Churchmanship, and gentlemanly demeanour. A young man thus equipped could hardly fail of success, and Lady Eynesford, in spite of the Governor's decidedly lukewarm approbation, was pleased to take the Attorney-General under her special protection. More than once in the next week or two did Mr. Coxon, tall-hatted, frock-coated, and new-gloved, in obedience to cordial invitations, take tea in the verandah of Government House. He was naturally gratified by these attentions, and, being not devoid of ambition, soon began to look upon his position as the starting-point for a greater prize. Lady Eynesford was, here again, with him--up to a point. She thought (and thoughts are apt to put themselves with a bluntness which would be inexcusable in speech) that it was high time that Eleanor Scaife was married, and, from an abstract point of view, this could hardly be denied. Lady Eynesford took the next step. Eleanor and Coxon would suit one another to perfection. Hence the invitations to tea, and Lady Eynesford's considerate withdrawals into the house, or out of sight in the garden. Of course it was impossible to gauge Eleanor's views at this early stage, but Lady Eynesford was assured of Mr. Coxon's gratitude--his bearing left no doubt of it--and she congratulated herself warmly on the promising and benevolent scheme which she had set afoot.
Now the danger of encouraging ambitious young men--and this remark is general in its scope, and not confined at all to one subject-matter--is that their vaulting imaginations constantly overleap the benevolence of their patrons. Mr. Coxon would not have been very grateful for permission to make love to Miss Scaife; he was extremely grateful for the opportunity of recommending himself to Alicia Derosne. The Governor's sister--none less--became by degrees his aim and object, and when Lady Eynesford left him with Miss Scaife, hoping that Alicia would have the sense not to get in the way, Mr. Coxon's soaring mind regarded himself as left with Alicia, and he hoped that the necessary exercise of discretion would be forthcoming from Miss Scaife. Presently this little comedy revealed itself to Eleanor, and, after an amused glance at the retreating figure of her misguided friend, she would bury herself in Tomes on the