FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129  
130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   >>   >|  
dden flash of illumination she saw him as he was, weak and irresolute, helpless in the grip of a stronger man. It was significant that she felt no compassion for him, but only disgust and contempt. She was no coward, and even Jim, who could so easily be deluded, was ready enough to fight on due occasion. "You are afraid of the fellow!" she exclaimed. Gladwyne colored and moved abruptly. He had imagined that she was his for the asking, but there was no mistaking her cutting scorn. "Bella," he pleaded, "don't be bitter. You can't understand the difficulties I'm confronted with." "I can understand too much!" Her voice trembled, but she rose, rather white in face, with an air of decision. "When I came I expected--but after all that doesn't matter--I never expected this!" He made no answer; the man had some little pride and there was nothing to be said. He had fallen very low even in this girl's estimation and the fact was almost intolerably galling, but he could make no effective defense. She went from him slowly, but with a suggestive deliberation, without looking back, and there was a hint of finality in the way she closed the door. Once outside, she strove to brace herself, for the interview had tried her hard. She had had to choose between Gladwyne and her brother, but for that she was now almost thankful. The man she had admired had changed and become contemptible. It was as if he had suddenly collapsed and shriveled before her startled eyes. But that was not all the trouble--she was as far from saving Jim as ever. It cost her an effort to rejoin the others, but she was equal to it and during the rest of her stay her conversation was a shade more audacious than usual. CHAPTER XVI GLADWYNE SURRENDERS Evening was drawing on when Bella strolled aimlessly down the ascending road that led to Marple's residence. On one hand of the road there was a deep rift, filled with shadow, in which a beck murmured among the stones, and the oaks that climbed to the ridge above flung their great branches against the saffron glow in the western sky. Fallen leaves, glowing brown and red, had gathered thick beneath one hedgerow and more came slowly sailing down; but Bella brushed through them unheeding, oblivious to her surroundings. She had suffered during the few days that had followed her interview with Gladwyne and even the sharp encounter with Miss Marple in which she had recently indulged had not cheered h
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129  
130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Gladwyne
 

understand

 

Marple

 

interview

 

slowly

 
expected
 
GLADWYNE
 

Evening

 
SURRENDERS
 

CHAPTER


irresolute

 

audacious

 
drawing
 

strolled

 
residence
 

illumination

 
aimlessly
 
ascending
 

conversation

 

startled


trouble

 

shriveled

 

contemptible

 

suddenly

 

collapsed

 

saving

 

helpless

 

effort

 

rejoin

 

shadow


brushed

 
unheeding
 

oblivious

 

sailing

 

hedgerow

 
gathered
 

beneath

 
surroundings
 

suffered

 
recently

indulged
 

cheered

 
encounter
 
glowing
 

stones

 

climbed

 
murmured
 

filled

 
western
 

Fallen