"I leave my happiness in your hands, with the utmost confidence in you both," she said gracefully as she swept out of the room. Lord Yester met her as she moved and gave her the homage of his protection to the door! The movement left the husband in the position of a rank outsider.
What fun Edith must have had, Hal thought, in playing up to these ideals! Edith, who had no ideals of her own.
When Yester returned the two men looked at each other; there was an awkward pause, each man cleared his throat, and each waited for the other to begin.
"Will you smoke?" asked Hal with a motion to the cigars. The youngster made a nervous start toward the table, then it occurred to him that he could not meet on such a friendly basis the man who had treated with inhuman cruelty the woman who had thrown herself upon his protection; so he stopped short and very awkwardly said:
"No! thank you; no, no!"
Again an awkward pause.
"Will you sit down?"
That seemed consistent with dignity and he started to do so, but again recoiled.
"I—eh—I feel more comfortable standing, if you don't mind."
Hal bowed. Yester's awkwardness was catching. He lounged across the room, sat down on the rail before the fire, and lit a cigarette. He could wait. Yester fiddled with his collar, stroked his cheek, and fidgeted.