ng-board about."
"I beg your pardon. Did you want me to help you?"
"Never mind. It would remind me of home."
"I suppose I shall have to stick it out at least a year, unless I can
humbug the mater into sending me enough money to get back home with."
"She won't send you a penny--if she's wise."
"Oh, come now! Wouldn't you chuck it if you could?"
"And acknowledge myself beaten," said Nora, with a flash of spirit. "You
don't know," she went on after ironing busily a moment, "what I went
through before I came here. I tried to get another position as lady's
companion. I hung about the agents' offices. I answered advertisements.
Two people offered to take me; one without any salary, the other at ten
shillings a week and my lunch. I, if you please, was to find myself in
board, lodging and clothes on that magnificent sum! That settled _me_. I
wrote Eddie and said I was coming. When I'd paid my fare, I had eight
pounds in the world--after ten years with Miss Wickham. When he met me
at the station at Dyer----"
"Depot; you forget."
"My whole fortune consisted of seven dollars and thirty-five cents; I
think it was thirty-five."
"What about that wood you're splitting, Reg?" said a voice from the
doorway.
Eddie came in fumbling nervously in his pockets. He detested scenes and
had some reason to think that he was having more than his share of them
in the last few days.
"Has anyone seen my tobacco! Oh, here it is," he said, taking his pouch
from his pocket. "Come, Reg, you'd better be getting on with it."
"Oh, Lord, is there no rest for the wicked?" exclaimed Hornby as he
lounged lazily to the door.
"Don't hurry yourself, will you?"
"Brilliant sarcasm is just flying about this house to-day," was his
parting shot as he banged the door behind him.
CHAPTER IX
Nora understood perfectly that her brother had been forced to take a
stand as a result of this last quarrel with Gertie. Well, she was glad
of it. Things certainly could not go on in this way forever. Of course
he would have to make a show, at least, of taking his wife's part. But,
equally of course, he would understand her position perfectly. However
much his new life and his long absence from England might have changed
him, at bottom their points of view were still the same. He and she, so
to speak, spoke a common language; she and Gertie did not.
Gertie had probably been pouring out her accumulation of grievances to
him for the last ha
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