As he walked up the beach-walk he was humming gaily an air from
"Girofle-Girofla." He was entirely free from care and annoyance. He
was thinking what a fortunate young lady Miss O'Connell was to live
amid such delightful surroundings. It would be many a long day
before she would ever think of leaving her aunt.
All of which points to the obvious fact that even gentlemen with
perfectly-balanced legal brains, occasionally mis-read the result of
force of character over circumstances.
He was shown into the music-room and was admiring a genuine Greuze
when Mrs. Chichester came in.
She greeted him tragically and motioned him to a seat beside her.
"Well?" he smiled cheerfully. "And how is our little protegee?"
"Sit down," replied Mrs. Chichester, sombrely.
"Thank you."
He sat beside her, waited a moment, then, with some sense of
misgiving, asked: "Everything going well, I hope?"
"Far from it." And Mrs. Chichester shook her head sadly.
"Indeed?" His misgivings deepened.
"I want you to understand one thing, Mr. Hawkes," and tears welled
up into the old lady's eyes: "I have done my best."
"I am sure of that, Mrs. Chichester," assured the lawyer, growing
more and more apprehensive.
"But she wants to leave us to-day.
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