"I have my
clubs, my gymnasium, my horse, and my friends."
"Isn't there anything that particularly attracts you?" asked Orde.
The young man's languid eyes grew thoughtful, and he puffed more
strongly on his cigarette.
"I should like," said he slowly, at last, "to enter the navy."
"Why don't you?" asked Orde bluntly.
"Certain family reasons make it inexpedient at present," said
Gerald. "My mother is in a very nervous state; she depends on us,
and any hint of our leaving her is sufficient to render her
condition serious."
By this time the two young men were well uptown. On Gerald's
initiative, they turned down a side street, and shortly came to a
stop.
"That is my gymnasium," said Gerald, pointing to a building across
the way. "Won't you come in with me? I am due now for my
practice."
XVII
Orde's evening was a disappointment to him. Mrs. Bishop had, by
Carroll's report, worked feverishly at the altar cloth all the
afternoon. As a consequence, she had gone to bed with a bad
headache. This state of affairs seemed to throw the entire family
into a state of indecision. It was divided in mind as to what to
do, the absolute inutility of any effort balancing strongly against
a sense of what the invalid expected.
Pages:
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215