He
wondered what Irene would think of this "ennobling" business in the
drab days of disillusionment that must soon sweep down upon them. But
Irene apparently did not miss his answer.
"We shall soon be settled," she said, as Mrs. Hardy and Conward were
seen approaching. "Then you will come and visit us?"
"I will--Reenie," he whispered, and he was sure the colour that mounted
in her cheeks held no tinge of displeasure.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Elden lost no time in making his first call upon the Hardys. He had
discussed the matter with Irene over the telephone. "We are hardly in
order yet," she had explained. "We are in a chaos of house-furnishing,
but you will be welcome. And there may be boxes to lift, and carpets
to lay, and heavy things to shove about."
He found, however, that very fine order had already been established in
the Hardy home, or, at any rate, in that part of it available to
visitors. Mrs. Hardy would have barred, with her own robust body if
necessary, his admission into any such surroundings as Irene had
pictured. Irene received him cordially, but Mrs. Hardy evinced no more
warmth than propriety demanded. Elden, however, allowed himself no
annoyance over that. A very much greater grievance had been thrust
upon his mind. Conward had preceded him, and was already a guest of
the Hardys.
Dave had accepted the fact of Conward's dinner party as a natural
enough occurrence, and after Irene's explanation he had dismissed it
from his mind.
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