下载辰思小说免费APP
Thegeneralconversationthusbegunwascontinuedbriskly，thoughitwasinthemainrestrictedtoMrs。HallandJapheth，whointruthrequiredbutlittlehelpfromanybody。TherebeingslightcalluponSally’stongue，shehadampleleisuretodowhatherheartmostdesired，namely，watchherintendedhusbandandhersister-in-lawwithaviewofelucidatingthestrangemomentarysceneinwhichhermotherandherselfhadsurprisedtheminthestable。Ifthatscenemeantanything，itmeant，atleast，thattheyhadmetbefore。ThattherehadbeennotimeforexplanationsSallycouldsee，fortheirmannerwasstilloneofsuppressedamazementateachother’spresencethere。Darton’seyes，too，fellcontinuallyonthegownwornbyHelenaasifthiswereanaddedriddletohisperplexity；
thoughtoSallyitwastheonefeatureinthecasewhichwasnomystery。Heseemedtofeelthatfatehadimpishlychangedhisvis-
a-visinthelover’sjighewasabouttofoot；thatwhilethegownhadbeenexpectedtoencloseaSally，aHelena’sfacelookedoutfromthebodice；thatsomelong-losthandmethisownfromthesleeves。
SallycouldseethatwhateverHelenamightknowofDarton，sheknewnothingofhowthedressenteredintohisembarrassment。AndatmomentstheyounggirlwouldhavepersuadedherselfthatDarton’slooksathersister-in-lawwereentirelythefruitoftheclothesquery。Butsurelyatothertimesamoreextensiverangeofspeculationandsentimentwasexpressedbyherlover’seyethanthatwhichthechangeddresswouldaccountfor。
Sally’sindependencemadeheroneoftheleastjealousofwomen。
Buttherewassomethingintherelationsofthesetwovisitorswhichoughttobeexplained。
JaphethJohnscontinuedtoconverseinhiswell-knownstyle，interspersinghistalkwithsomeprivatereflectionsonthepositionofDartonandSally，which，thoughthesparkleinhiseyeshowedthemtobehighlyentertainingtohimself，wereapparentlynotquitecommunicabletothecompany。Atlasthewithdrewforthenight，goingofftotheroadsideinnhalf-a-mileback，whitherDartonpromisedtofollowhiminafewminutes。
Half-an-hourpassed，andthenMr。Dartonalsorosetoleave，Sallyandhersister-in-lawsimultaneouslywishinghimgood-nightastheyretiredupstairstotheirrooms。ButonhisarrivingatthefrontdoorwithMrs。Hallasharpshowerofrainbegantocomedown，whenthewidowsuggestedthatheshouldreturntothefire-sidetillthestormceased。
Dartonacceptedherproposal，butinsistedthat，asitwasgettinglate，andshewasobviouslytired，sheshouldnotsituponhisaccount，sincehecouldlethimselfoutofthehouse，andwouldquiteenjoysmokingapipebythehearthalone。Mrs。Hallassented；
andDartonwasleftbyhimself。Hespreadhiskneestothebrands，lituphistobaccoashehadsaid，andsatgazingintothefire，andatthenotchesofthechimney-crookwhichhungabove。
Anoccasionaldropofrainrolleddownthechimneywithahiss，andstillhesmokedon；butnotlikeamanwhosemindwasatrest。Inthelongrun，however，despitehismeditations，earlyhoursafieldandalongrideintheopenairproducedtheirnaturalresult。Hebegantodoze。
Howlongheremainedinthishalf-unconsciousstatehedidnotknow。
Hesuddenlyopenedhiseyes。Theback-brandhadburntitselfintwo，andceasedtoflame；thelightwhichhehadplacedonthemantelpiecehadnearlygoneout。Butinspiteofthesedeficienciestherewasalightintheapartment，anditcamefromelsewhere。
TurninghisheadhesawPhilipHall’sw
