Page:Conflict (1927).pdf/17

 the weight of what he took from her, as a cloud with the weight of what it takes from the earth.

Nothing new had happened this afternoon. Nothing unexpected. As usual Felix had lurked in her vicinity on the pond for half an hour or more before he spoke to her, gliding past her, time and time again, with no sign or look of recognition, biding his time like a hawk circling round and round a nest it means to rob, awaiting the propitious moment, before making its final swoop and dive.

Sheilah was standing quite alone when finally Felix Nawn slid up to her and, with averted eyes, and through lips that didn't move, mumbled a furtive 'Hello.'

'Hello,' Sheilah replied brightly. The word, as she spoke it, was a thing of beauty in comparison, clean-cut and full of lovely curves.

Felix murmured, still not looking at Sheilah, still through lips that didn't move, in a tone that didn't move either, 'Want to skate?'

'Yes,' said Sheilah, and again her voice made something exquisite out of a single word.

Sheilah had just been skating with Nevin Baldwin, knickerbockered and tight-sweatered, a veritable Mercury on the ice. One could almost see the wings at the back of his sleek, slender ankles, as