The Lamp in the Desert | Page 6

alive. Tommy forgot what he was going
to say and only stared.
The moment passed; it was scarcely so much as a moment. And Monck
moved on in his calm, unfaltering way.
"Your sister is ready and waiting," he said.
They ascended the steps together, and the girl who sat by the open
window rose with a stately movement and stepped forward to meet
them.
"Hullo, Stella!" was Tommy's greeting. "Hope I'm not awfully late.
They wasted such a confounded time over toasts at mess to-night.
Yours was one of 'em, and I had to reply. I hadn't a notion what to say.
Captain Monck thinks I made an awful hash of it though he is too
considerate to say so."
"On the contrary I said 'Hear, hear!' to every stutter," said Monck,
bowing slightly as he took the hand she offered.
She was wearing a black lace dress with a glittering spangled scarf of
Indian gauze floating about her. Her neck and shoulders gleamed in the
soft red glow. She was superb that night.

She smiled at Monck, and her smile was as a shining cloak hiding her
soul. "So you have started upon your official duties already!" she said.
"It is the best man's business to encourage and console everyone
concerned, isn't it?"
The faint cynicism of her speech was like her smile. It held back all
intrusive curiosity. And the man's answering smile had something of
the same quality. Reserve met reserve.
"I hope I shall not find it very arduous in that respect," he said. "I did
not come here in that capacity."
"I am glad of that," she said. "Won't you come in and sit down?"
She motioned him within with a queenly gesture, but her invitation was
wholly lacking in warmth. It was Tommy who pressed forward with
eager hospitality.
"Yes, and have a drink! It's a thirsty right. It's getting infernally hot.
Stella, you're lucky to be going out of it."
"Oh, I am very lucky," Stella said.
They entered the lighted room, and Tommy went in search of
refreshment.
"Won't you sit down?" said Stella.
Her voice was deep and pure, and the music in it made him wonder if
she sang. He sat facing her while she returned with apparent absorption
to the fastening of her gloves. She spoke again after a moment without
raising her eyes. "Are you proposing to take up your abode here
to-morrow?"
"That's the idea," said Monck.
"I hope you and Tommy will be quite comfortable," she said. "No
doubt he will be a good deal happier with you than he has been for the
past few weeks with me."

"I don't know why he should be," said Monck.
"No?" She was frowning slightly over her glove. "You see, my sojourn
here has not been--a great success. I think poor Tommy has felt it rather
badly. He likes a genial atmosphere."
"He won't get much of that in my company," observed Monck.
She smiled momentarily. "Perhaps not. But I think he will not be sorry
to be relieved of family cares. They have weighed rather heavily upon
him."
"He will be sorry to lose you," said Monck.
"Oh, of course, in a way. But he will soon get over that." She looked up
at him suddenly. "You will all be rather thankful when I am safely
married, Captain Monck," she said.
There was a second or two of silence. Monck's eyes looked straight
back into hers while it lasted, but they held no warmth, scarcely even
interest.
"I really don't know why you should say that, Miss Denvers," he said
stiffly at length.
Stella's gloved hands clasped each other. She was breathing somewhat
hard, yet her bearing was wholly regal, even disdainful.
"Only because I realize that I have been a great anxiety to all the
respectable portion of the community," she made careless reply. "I
think I am right in classing you under that heading, am I not?"
He heard the challenge in her tone, delicately though she presented it,
and something in him that was fierce and unrestrained sprang up to
meet it. But he forced it back. His expression remained wholly
inscrutable.
"I don't think I can claim to be anything else," he said. "But that fact
scarcely makes me in any sense one of a community. I think I prefer to

stand alone."
Her blue eyes sparkled a little. "Strangely, I have the same preference,"
she said. "It has never appealed to me to be one of a crowd. I like
independence--whatever the crowd may say. But I am quite aware that
in a woman that is considered a dangerous taste. A woman should
always conform to rule."
"I have never studied the subject," said Monck.
He spoke briefly. Tommy's confidences had stirred within him