Page:Arthur Stringer-The Loom of Destiny.djvu/109

The Crucible of Character He was gazing drearily, but with tacit watchfulness, from the nursery window when he heard the voice of the cook, talking to his mother. His heart stopped beating. The cook was saying that someone had stolen the chocolate, this time a whole cake! The boy sidled close to the nursery door that he might hear the better. The cook said she believed it was that drunken James. Then his mother said such a thing was ridiculous, and that it was n't really worth worrying over, and that she had better use cocoanut this time.

There were great and unknown guests that night for dinner, and that meant that Russell Wentworth Russell had his meal alone in the nursery. For the first time in his life he was glad of it. But so silent and dejected and miserable was he throughout his meal that the mystified Weston went downstairs, and came mysteriously back with a delicacy she knew would be a delightful surprise.

Holding her hands laughingly behind her, she came close to him and thrust it suddenly upon his plate. 97