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During dinner and during that subsequent half hour while the ladies waited for the men to rejoin them, Joyce was in a tremor of anxiety But she carried herself with an indifference that was superb She had taken a chair at the far end of the long parlor close to a Frenchopening upon a porch Apparently she was idly interested in a new novel, but never had she been more watchful If she had a chance to play her hand she would win; if the luck broke against her she would lose

Most of her friends had mothers to maneuver for them Joyce had none, but she was not one to let that stand in her way Already she hadLord Farquhar in a whisper not to linger long over the cigars He had nodded silently, and she kneould keep his word If Jack would only stay away until she could see Verinder

She called the mine owner to her the instant that the men reappeared He looked across the room sullenly and appeared for one dubious moment to hesitate But before he could fraain

"I want you to see this ridiculous illustration It is the "

Without any hesitation she had summoned him before them all He could not rudely refuse her the ordinary civilities that pass current in society Sulkily he moved to her side

She held up the book to him No illustrationto a sentence in the story heavily underscored by a pencil

"Why are you so cruel to ry flush rose to his face His jaw set firmly as he looked at her

"Yes, it's certainly ridiculousand a," he said aloud

"There's another, too," she went on quickly, recovering the book

Her fingers turned a page or tiftly On the in was a penciled note

"I must see you alone, Dobyans I er, from which wounded eyes filmy with tears appealed to him Her shyness, her diffidence, the childlike call upon his chivalry holly charly pretty woan insensibly to soften, but he would not give up his grievance

"It's a lashes fluttered tremulously to her cheeks It seee of unconsciousness, that the pent e to prove too much for her