Page:The Other House (London, William Heinemann, 1896), Volume 2.djvu/148

134 completely overcame it. "By no means. She was in Rose's arms."

Mrs. Beever, at this image, lowered her eyes to the floor; after which, raising them again, she continued: "You went to Bounds?"

"No—I turned off short. I was going, but if I had a great deal to think of, "Dennis pursued, "after I had learned from you she was here, the quantity wasn't of course diminished by our personal encounter." He hesitated. "I had seen her with him."

"Well?" said Mrs. Beever as he paused again.

"I asked you if she was in love with him."

"And I bade you find out for yourself."

"I've found out," Dennis said.

"Well?" Mrs. Beever repeated.

It was evidently, even in this tighter tension, something of an ease to all his soreness to tell her. "I've never seen anything like it—and there's not much I've not seen."

"That's exactly what the Doctor says!"

Dennis stared, but after a moment, "And does the Doctor say Mr. Bream cares?" he somewhat artlessly inquired.