The yellow book: an illustrated quarterly (2.1894)

326 The Coxon Fund

Adelaide reassuringly, " I dole it out! " The dear practical soul
thought my agitation, for I confess I was agitated, had reference
to the administration of the money. Her disclosure made me for
a moraent muse violently, and I daresay that during that moment
I wondered if any thing eise in the world makes people as indelicate
as unselfishnes?. I uttered, I suppose, some vague synthetic cry,
for she went on as if she had had a glimpse of my inward amaze
atsuch episodes. " I assure you, my dear friend, he was in one of
his happy hours."

But I wasn't thinking of that. " Truly, indeed, these American
girls ! " I said. " With her father in the very act, as it were, of
cheating her betrothed ! "

Mrs. Mulville stared. " Oh, I suppose Mr. Anvoy hasscarcely
failed on purpose. Very likely they won't be able to keep it up,
but there it was, and it was a very beautiful impulse."

" You say Saltram was very fine ? "

" Beyond everything. He surprised even me."

" And I know what you've heard." After a moment I added :
" Had he peradventure caught a glimpse of the money in the table-
drawers .?"

At this my companion honestly flushed. " How can you be so
cruel when you know how little he calculates ?"

" Forgive me, I do know it. But you teil me things that act on
my nerves. I'm sure he hadn't caught a glimpse of anything but
some splendid idca."

Mrs. Mulville brightly concurred. " And perhaps even of her
beautiful listening face."

" Perhaps, even ! And what was it all about ?"

" His talk ? It was d propos of her engagement, which I had
told him about : the idea of marriage, the philosophy, the poetry,
the profundity of it." It was impossible wholly to restrain one's

mirth