That was all. It was settled with a
word. There in the sunshine he kissed her and sealed the compact, and
afterward, when the sun was low among the hill spurs, they went back
happily to take up again the work that awaited them.
CHAPTER 25. FRIENDLY ENEMIES
Ridgway had promised Aline that he would see her soon, and when he found
himself in New York he called at the big house on Fifth Avenue, which had
for so long been identified as the home of Simon Harley. It bore his
impress stamped on it. Its austerity suggested the Puritan rather than the
classic conception of simplicity. The immense rooms were as chill as
dungeons, and the forlorn little figure in black, lost in the loneliness of
their bleakness, wandered to and fro among her retinue of servants like a
butterfly beating its wings against a pane of glass.
With both hands extended she ran forward to meet her guest.
"I'm so glad, so glad, so glad to see you."
The joy-note in her voice was irrepressible. She had been alone for weeks
with the conventional gloom that made an obsession of the shadow of death
which enveloped the house.
Pages:
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308