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went away the lodger used to sit smoking in the big arm…chair and
beat the arms with his hands； and he would pace up and down the
room while his work would lie untouched and his engagements pass
forgotten。
Summer came and London was deserted； dull； and dusty； but the
lodger stayed on in Jermyn Street。 Helen Cabot had departed on a
round of visits to country houses in Scotland； where； as she
wrote him； she was painting miniatures of her hosts and studying
the game of golf。 Miss Cavendish divided her days between the
river and one of the West End theatres。 She was playing a small
part in a farce…comedy。
One day she came up from Cookham earlier than usual； looking very
beautiful in a white boating frock and a straw hat with a Leander
ribbon。 Her hands and arms were hard with dragging a punting
pole and she was sunburnt and happy； and hungry for tea。
〃Why don't you come down to Cookham and get out of this heat？〃
Miss Cavendish asked。 〃You need it； you look ill。〃
〃I'd like to； but I can't；〃 said Carroll。 〃The fact is； I paid
in advance for these rooms； and if I lived anywhere else I'd be
losing five guineas a week on them。〃
Miss Cavendish regarded him severely。 She had never quite
mastered his American humor。
〃But five guineaswhy that's nothing to you；〃 she said。
Something in the lodger's face made her pause。 〃You don't
mean〃
〃Yes； I do；〃 said the lodger； smiling。 〃You see； I started in to
lay siege to London without sufficient ammunition。 London is a
large town； and it didn't fall as quickly as I thought it would。
So I am economizing。 Mr。 Lockhart's Coffee Rooms and I are no
longer strangers。〃
Miss Cavendish put down her cup of tea untasted and leaned toward
him
〃Are you in earnest？〃 she asked。 〃For how long？〃
〃Oh； for the last month；〃 replied the lodger； 〃they are not at
all badclean and wholesome and all that。〃
〃But the suppers you gave us； and this；〃 she cried； suddenly；
waving her hands over the pretty tea…things； 〃and the cake
and muffins？〃
〃My friends； at least；〃 said Carroll； 〃need not go to
Lockhart's。〃
〃And the Savoy？〃 asked Miss Cavendish； mournfully shaking her
head。
〃A dream of the past；〃 said Carroll； waving his pipe through the
smoke。 〃Gatti's？ Yes； on special occasions； but for necessity；
the Chancellor's； where one gets a piece of the prime roast beef
of Old England； from Chicago； and potatoes for ninepencea pot
of bitter twopence…halfpenny； and a penny for the waiter。 It's
most amusing on the whole。 I am learning a little about London；
and some things about myself。 They are both most interesting
subjects。〃
〃Well； I don't like it；〃 Miss Cavendish declared helplessly。
〃When I think of those suppers and the flowers； I feelI feel
like a robber。〃
〃Don't；〃 begged Carroll。 〃I am really the most happy of men
that is； as the chap says in the play； I would be if I wasn't so
damned miserable。 But I owe no man a penny and I have assetsI
have L？0 to last me through the winter and two marvellous
plays； and I love； next to yourself； the most wonderful woman God
ever made。 That's enough。〃
〃But I thought you made such a lot of money by writing？〃 asked
Miss Cavendish。
〃I dothat is； I could；〃 answered Carroll； 〃if I wrote the
things that sell； but I keep on writing plays that won't。〃
〃And such plays！〃 exclaimed Marion； warmly； 〃and to think that
they are going begging。〃 She continued indignantly； 〃I can't
imagine what the managers do want。〃
〃I know what they don't want；〃 said the American。 Miss Cavendish
drummed impatiently on the tea…tray。
〃I wish you wouldn't be so abject about it；〃 she said。 〃If I
were a man I'd make them take those plays。〃
〃How？〃 asked the American； 〃with a gun？〃
〃Well； I'd keep at it until they read them；〃 declared Marion。
〃I'd sit on their front steps all night and I'd follow them in
cabs； and I'd lie in wait for them at the stage…door。 I'd just
make them take them。〃
Carroll sighed and stared at the ceiling。 〃I guess I'll give up
and go home；〃 he said。
〃Oh； yes； do； run away before you are beaten；〃 said Miss
Cavendish； scornfully。 〃Why； you can't go now。 Everybody will
be back in town soon； and there are a lot of new plays coming on；
and some of them are sure to be failures； and that's our chance。
You rush in with your piece and somebody may take it sooner than
close the theatre。〃
〃I'm thinking of closing the theatre myself；〃 said Carroll。
〃What's the use of my hanging on here？〃 he exclaimed。 〃It
distresses Helen to know I am in London； feeling about her as I
doand the Lord only knows how it distresses me。 And； maybe； if
I went away；〃 he said； consciously； 〃she might miss me。 She
might see the difference。〃
Miss Cavendish held herself erect and pressed her lips together
with a severe smile。 〃If Helen Cabot doesn't see the difference
between you and the other men she knows now；〃 she said； 〃I doubt
if she ever will。 Besides〃 she continued； and then hesitated。
〃Well； go on；〃 urged Carroll。
〃Well； I was only going to say；〃 she explained； 〃that leaving the
girl alone never did the man any good unless he left her alone
willingly。 If she's sure he still cares； it's just the same to
her where he is。 He might as well stay on in London as go to
South Africa。 It won't help him any。 The difference comes when
she finds he has stopped caring。 Why； look at Reggie。 He tried
that。 He went away for ever so long； but he kept writing me from
wherever he went； so that he was perfectly miserableand I went
on enjoying myself。 Then when he came back； he tried going about
with his old friends again。 He used to come to the theatre with
themoh； with such nice girlsbut he always stood in the back
of the box and yawned and scowledso I knew。 And； anyway； he'd
always spoil it all by leaving them and waiting at the stage
entrance for me。 But one day he got tired of the way I treated
him and went off on a bicycle tour with Lady Hacksher's girls and
some men from his regiment； and he was gone three weeks and never
sent me even a line； and I got so scared； I couldn't sleep； and
I stood it for three days more； and then I wired him to come
back or I'd jump off London Bridge； and he came back that very
night from Edinburgh on the express； and I was so glad to see him
that I got confused； and in the general excitement I promised to
marry him； so that's how it was with us。〃
〃Yes；〃 said the American； without enthusiasm； 〃but then I still
care； and Helen knows I care。〃
〃Doesn't she ever fancy that you might care for some one else？
You have a lot of friends； you know。〃
〃Yes； but she knows they are just thatfriends；〃 said the
American。
Miss Cavendish stood up to go； and arranged her veil before the
mirror above the fireplace。
〃I come here very often to tea；〃 she said。
〃It's very kind of you；〃 said Carroll。 He was at the open
window； looking down into the street for a cab。
〃Well； no one knows I am engaged to Reggie；〃 continued Miss
Cavendish； 〃except you and Reggie； and he isn't so sure。 SHE
doesn't know it。〃
〃Well？〃 said Carroll。
Miss Cavendish smiled a mischievous kindly smile at him from the
mirror。