Page 120 (1/1)

But this other engage to attempt a further advance It had, indeed, been explained to him that these attempts were but tentative and experimental; it was impossible to dictate exactly what should fall; but the object on Sunday night was to go a step further, and to bring about, if possible, the ure could be handled, and could speak And it seemed to Laurie as if this would be final indeed

So he sat this evening, within forty-eight hours of the crisis, thinking steadily Half a dozen tiie recurred to hiet rid of that

Then he took up the note and opened it It was filled with four pages of writing He turned to the end and read the signature Then he turned back and read the whole letter

It was very quiet as he sat there thinking over what he had read The noise of Fleet Street ca murmur of the sea upon a beach; and he hi upwards upon his young face, his eyes, and his curly hair About hiliround, the tall curtained s suggestive of shelter and warmth and protection

Yet, if he had but known it, he wasan enormous choice The letter was fro how to answer it He was soothed and quieted by his loneliness, and his irritation had disappeared: he regarded the letter from a youthfully philosophical standpoint, pleased with hisonly whether he would yield, for politeness' sake, to the importunity, or answer shortly and decisively It seemed to him remarkable that a mature and experienced ot up, went to his writing-table, and sat down Still he hesitated for a minute; then he dipped his pen and wrote

When he had finished and directed it, he went back to the fire He had an hour yet in which to think and think before he need dress He had promised to dine with Mrs Stapleton at half-past seven He had a touch of headache, and perhaps ht sleep it off