Page:Man's Country (1923).pdf/272

 empty air, white, bewildered and crestfallen, but not quite sympathetic. "Lost money?"

Doubts and wonderings upon this point so distressed her that she had presently to call Eleanor and ask her humbly to explain.

Eleanor did this, now with sympathy for the wife and indignation for a bombastic, vainglorious husband who would leave a wife to learn facts like this from an alien tongue.

The supper call brought this conference to a close, but throughout the meal Fay was silent and contemplative, with the men inclined to joke her a little on her enforced widowhood. The joking came to an end after the meal was over and they were all gathered round the fire, when she spoke out boldly to Sir Brian before them all.

"It was big of George, awfully big of him, to slip out this way," she said with a little break in her voice, "so I couldn't insist on going with him; but the fact is, I think I must. We are so dippy about each other, you know, and George has an awful lot of important things on just now. So I feel I ought to be right with him."

"My word!" ejaculated Sir Brian. "Deuce take it! Must you go though?" and looked at her concernedly as if not quite certain she had given the real reason for her departure.

"I fear I must, Sir Brian!" she persisted however, and the next day went down the canyon.