n
suspicions might not be justified, but he wondered what would have
happened had he not moved out from the bank.

CHAPTER XIII

MORDAUNT'S REPULSE

Shortly after his visit to the lawyer, Mordaunt walked over to
Whitelees. It was about four o'clock in the afternoon, and it would
soon be dark, but although he had some distance to go he did not walk
fast. Tea was served early at Whitelees and, as a rule, Mrs. Halliday
afterwards went to sleep. Mordaunt wanted to arrive when she had done
so, and his leisurely progress gave him time to think.

He meant to ask Evelyn to marry him. He liked her and they generally
agreed, but he was not sure he would have thought about marriage had he
been rich. For all that, he knew no other girl who would suit him so
well, and it would be an advantage to consolidate the family property,
since both would inherit some part of Bernard's estate. Mordaunt knew
Mrs. Halliday saw this, for she had been his friend until Jim came on
the scene. It now looked as if she thought Jim would get little or
nothing, and Mordaunt did not mean to enlighten her.

The loss of his West Indian investment forced him to make a prudent
marriage, but he did not feel that he was doing a shabby thing. Evelyn
understood him and was rather calculating than romantic. It was
disturbing that she had obviously been attracted by Jim, but Mordaunt
thought the attraction was not very strong. He did not mean to let Jim
rob him of his inheritance and the girl he hoped would be his wife.

It was getting dark when he reached Whitelees and found Evelyn sitting
by the fire in the drawing-room. The lamps were not lighted and the
room was shadowy except for the reflection from the grate. Evelyn did
not get up and he stood opposite, talking quietly while she rested her
chin in her hollowed hand and listened. He did not pretend passion,
but she thought he struck the right note. He was sincere, as far as he
went, and she admitted that he made the best of a not very strong
appeal. One could trust Lance to be graceful.

"If you had asked me before, I might have married you. It is now too
late," she said.

Mordaunt moved abruptly, but used some control. "Ah," he said, in a
rather strained voice, "I suppose this means Jim has claimed you first?"

"Yes," she said, calmly, "I have promised to marry Jim. So far, nobody
else knows."

He was silent for a moment or two, knitting his brows, and then looked
up.

"