Page:Zangwill-King of schnorrers.djvu/297

283 CHEATING THE GALLOWS. U83

CHAPTER III.

POLLY RECEIVES A PROPOSAL.

If Clara Newell could have seen Tom Peters carrying on with Polly in the passage, she might have felt justified in her prejudice against him. It must be confessed, though, that Everard also carried on with Polly. Alas ! it is to be feared that men are much of a muchness where women are concerned ; shabby men and smart men, bank managers and journalists, bachelors and 'semi-detached bachelors. Perhaps it was a mistake after all to say the chums had nothing patently in common. Everard, I am afraid, kissed Polly rather more often than Clara, and although it was because he respected her less, the reason would perhaps not have been sufficiently consoling to his affianced wife. For Polly was pretty, especially on alternate Sunday after- noons, and she liked to receive the homage of real gentle- men, setting her white cap at all indifferently. Thus, just before Clara knocked on that memorable Sunday afternoon, Polly, being confined to the house by the unwritten code regulating the lives of servants, was amusing herself by flirting with Peters.

"You are fond of me a little bit," the graceless Tom whispered, " aren't you ? "

" You know I am, sir," Polly replied.

" You don't care for anyone else in the house? "

"Oh no, sir. I wonder how it is, sir?" Polly replied ingenuously.

And that very evening, when Clara was gone and Tom still out, Polly turned without the faintest atom of scrupu- losity, or even jealousy, to the more fascinating Roxdal.