The Washington herald., 1912-05-26
CHAPTER KIM
An Informal Tea Party.

strange abode, he saw two hgureS COM
ing along the dyke path. A few min
utes later, Ruby Sinclair and her COM
panion came across the last little strip
of shingle, and approached the spot
where Deane ~ss waiting for them.
My uncle would ike to make your
acquaintance, Mr.. Deane," she said.
Deane held out his hand and well
coined his visitor-a small, fussy-
looking little man with gray mus
tache, and somewhat awkward air Of
being at his ease. He wore tweed
knickerbocker suit-very old-fashioned,
and Of local make-a flannel collar, and
an ill-chosen tie He shook hands with
his host in a perfunctory sort of man
ner
Thought / must just lool; you up, "
he explained, living ont here. Such a
lonely spot, tool You are going to
play golf, of course?"
Deane shook his head Il never
play" he answered Il have come here
to rest"
To rest! The word seemed a
strange one to the fussy little man, who
was already taking stock of his sur
roundingS. Photographs in Silver
frames, a pile of books-all new, a gun
and fishing rod, and other such belong
ings-ah naturally, the best of their
sortl
We'll, but you must do something %
Mr. Sarsby remarked you cannot
sit here all day and look at the sea
like the fisherman" he continued, with
little laugh. "A very lazy lot-our
fishermen he went on. "Never go
out if there's a ripple on the SOS. -
Deane nodded The tides" he re-
marked, are rather teacherous, 1
should think"
The servant brought in tea and a
great dish of strawberries, at which
Mr.. SarSby gazed in amazement
Strawberries !" he exclaimed why,
we don't begin to think about them
for another six weeks Z"
as that so?" answered Deane, care
lessly Il never know anything about
seasons, and my man is doing the cater
ing. Miss Sinclair, you must make
the tea for US. | am afraid our meth
DDS are little crude, but you see we
are trying to get along without any
women servants"
Mr.. Sarsby was a little abashed. He
had seldom sat down to a table COW
cred by a cloth of such fine linen, and
he had certainly never been waited
upon, of late years, by a man-servant.
His little eyes roved inquisitively
around You come from London, sir,
my niece tells me-" he remarked.
From London" Deane replied.
"A wonderful placer Mr.. Sarsby
said, with sigh. Since / retired, un-
fortunately, l have had TO drop out of
life altogether" .E.
Your health p Deane suggested po-
litely.
My health, and my ridiculously
small pension Mr.. Sarsby answered
Il can't make out what the country is
coming to. Years ago, pensions were al
together on a different scale. To-day,
it seems to me that every government
IS always trying to shirk its obligations
to those who 60 out and help to build
up the empire"
This was Mr.. Sarsby's favorite little
speech, which he made regularly sew
eral times a week in the village, and
once a year at a club dinner. Deane
received II in sympathetic silence
Tell me how you spend your time,
golf. think you told me"
has to do, living in such place" she
SAID. 4 swim and l fish, 1 play golf
and tennis when l can get any, and l
sail boat when l can borrow one
Those things are all sport to you, l
suppose. When they become not
part of your life, but the whole of it,
they are Idreary sort of pursuits"
MY niece is seldom satisfied" Mr.
Sarsby said sharply.
S'Why should l be? she asked. you,
at least, have had your day You have
seen something of life in however
small a circle. / haven't dare say,
after twenty years away, l might be
content with these things. Life for you
is simply a satisfactory thing or not
according to whether you have beaten
Col. Forsitt or whether he has beaten
you. whether you are heeling your
mashie shots or laying them dead,
holding your puts or leaving them
short. You see. l haven't quite come
70 the sage when l find these things
SUFFICIENT"
"4t any rate" Mr.. Sarsby remarked.
with what Inc imagined was a dignihed
air, there is no need to take a stran-
ger into your confidence. Mr.. Deane
is scarcely interested"
"On the contrary" Deane answered,
with little bow But | thought you
told me, Miss Sinclair. that you were
probably leaving US before long"
''Oh, l hope sop she replied. my
uncle was not man to break his prom
ise, and he did promise am expect
ing TO hear now every day"
After tea, they wandered out on to
the little stretch of sandy shingle which
alone separated the cottage from the
sea The girl had walked on a little
ahead, and Deane laid his hand for a
moment upon her uncle's shoulder
Mr. Sarsby" he said, "did under
stand that the name of your niece,s
uncle was Sinclair-the same as her
owu?"
Mr.. Sarsby nodded. "Yes, sirP he
said-"R Richard Sinclair. He was her
fathers brother, you sea queer, wan
dcFing sort of fish. However, he GER
tainly did write the girl, few weeks
ago. saying that he was back in Eng
i1ud. and hoped to realize large sum
of money on some of his investments,
aud promised to send for her to come
un Ia town Since then, we have heard
nothiilg from him"
'Dn yOu read the papers, Mr.. Sars-
5y" Dcane asked.
Il read the Times for an hour every
afternoon between S and 6" Mr.. Sars-
r br admitted. u have a special arrange
1,efIf with Mr. Foulds-the vicar