"Poor little woman," he said, "if you could only see an inch beyond your own nose, you would realise that I am giving you your chance now."
She looked up incredulously, but with a dawning hope flushing through her tears. "I don't understand how——" she began.
"You have been too near Guy," he remarked. "He has never realised your value. At a little distance he will be more clear-sighted. A woman is like any other work of art. Her beauties are invisible unless seen in proper perspective. While you live in the same house he will never realise that you may be more than a sister."
"Then you think——" she asked.
"I am sure of it," replied Hora decisively. "It is to give you the chance you desire that I have persuaded Guy to live apart from us awhile, for that and in order to discover something about a rival whom I suspect you may have."
CHAPTER IX
CONCERNING A GREAT MAN'S VEXATION
When the carriage containing the Great Man rolled up to the door on the south side of Downing Street the constable stationed there stiffened himself preparatory to saluting. But his salute passed unnoticed. The door swung open, but the commissionaire got not so much as a glance.
"There's trouble brewing in China," said the worthy hall porter to his circle of cronies that same evening in the private bar of the "Lord Palmerston," "you mark my words if there isn't."
"More likely to be with Germany. That's the right place to look for trouble," asserted one of the listeners.
"Of course, you would know better than me," replied the worthy janitor. "You read the papers every day, so you can't be wrong." There was unutterable scorn in his tone as he referred to the press.