第74章 CHAPTER XVI HOSPITALITY WITHOUT GRUDGING(3)

"You are going with the others," said Jane calmly, "and in the afternoon we are to have our ride.""And this is Jane," said Jack Romayne as Mrs. Waring-Gaunt ushered the girl into his room. "If half of what I have heard is true then I am a lucky man to-day. Kathleen has been telling me about you."Jane's smile expressed her delight. "I think I could say the same of you, Mr. Romayne.""What? Has Kathleen been talking about me?"

"No, I have not seen Kathleen since I came, but there are others, you know.""Are there?" asked Jack. "I hadn't noticed. But I know all about you."It was a hasty introduction for Jane. Kathleen was easily a subject for a day's conversation. How long she discoursed upon Kathleen neither of them knew. But when Mrs. Waring-Gaunt had finished up her morning household duties Jane was still busy dilating upon Kathleen's charms and graces and expatiating upon her triumphs and achievements during her stay in Winnipeg the previous winter.

"Still upon Kathleen?" inquired Mrs. Waring-Gaunt.

"Oh, I am learning a great deal and enjoying myself immensely,"said Jack.

"You must be careful, Jane. Don't tell Jack everything about Kathleen. There are certain things we keep to ourselves, you know.

I don't tell Tom everything."

Jane opened her eyes. "I have not told Jane yet, Sybil," said Jack quietly. "She doesn't know, though perhaps she has guessed how dear to me Kathleen is.""Had you not heard?" inquired Mrs. Waring-Gaunt.

"No, I only came last night, you see." Then turning to Jack, she added, "And is--is Kathleen going to marry you?" Her astonishment was evident in her voice and eyes.

"I hope so," said Jack, "and you are no more astonished than I am myself. I only found it out night before last."It was characteristic of Jane that she sat gazing at him in silence; her tongue had not learned the trick of easy compliment.

She was trying to take in the full meaning of this surprising announcement.

"Well?" said Jack after he had waited for some moments.

"Oh, I beg your pardon," she said hurriedly. "I congratulate you.

I think you are a very lucky man."

"I am, indeed," said Jack with emphasis. "And Kathleen? You are not so sure about her luck?""Well, I don't know you yet," said Jane gravely, "and Kathleen is a very lovely girl, the very loveliest girl I know.""You are quite right," said Jack in a tone as grave as her own. "Iam not good enough for her."

"Oh, I did not say that. Only I don't know you, and you see I know Kathleen. She is so lovely and so good. I love her." Jane's face was earnest and grave.

"And so do I, Jane, if I may call you so," said Jack, "and I am going to try to be worthy of her."Jane's eyes rested quietly on his face. She made up her mind that it was an honest face and a face one could trust, but to Jane it seemed as if something portentous had befallen her friend and she could not bring herself immediately to accept this new situation with an outburst of joyous acclaim such as ordinarily greets an announcement of this kind. For a reason she could not explain her mind turned to the memory she cherished of her own mother and of the place she had held with her father. She wondered if this man could give to Kathleen a place so high and so secure in his heart.

While her eyes were on his face Jack could see that her mind was far away. She was not thinking of him.

"What is it, Jane?" he said gently.

Jane started and the blood rushed to her face. She hesitated, then said quietly but with charming frankness, "I was thinking of my mother. She died when I was two years old. Father says I am like her. But I am not at all. She was very lovely. Kathleen makes me think of her, and father often tells me about her. He has never forgotten her. You see I think he loved her in quite a wonderful way, and he--" Jane paused abruptly.

Mrs. Waring-Gaunt rose quietly, came to her side. "Dear Jane, dear child," she said, kissing her. "That's the only way to love. I am sure your mother was a lovely woman, and a very happy woman, and you are like her."But Jack kept his face turned away from them.

"Oh, Mrs. Waring-Gaunt," cried Jane, shaking her head emphatically, "I am not the least bit like her. That is one of the points on which I disagree with father. We do not agree upon everything, you know.""No? What are some of the other points?"

"We agree splendidly about Kathleen," said Jane, laughing. "Just now we differ about Germany.""Aha, how is that?" inquired Jack, immediately alert.

"Of course, I know very little about it, you understand, but last winter our minister, Mr. McPherson, who had just been on a visit to Germany the summer before, gave a lecture in which he said that Germany had made enormous preparations for war and was only waiting a favourable moment to strike. Papa says that is all nonsense.""Oh, Jane, Jane," cried Mrs. Waring-Gaunt, "you have struck upon a very sore spot in this house. Jack will indorse all your minister said. He will doubtless go much further.""What did he say, Jane?" inquired Jack.

"He was greatly in earnest and he urged preparation by Canada. He thinks we ought at the very least to begin getting our fleet ready right away.""That's politics, of course," said Mrs. Waring-Gaunt, "and I do not know what you are.""I am not sure that I do either," she replied, "but I believe too that Canada ought to get at her fleet without loss of time.""But what did he say about Germany?" continued Jack.