“Oh, well,” said Jasper, “I reckon I can trust the fellow as far as I’m forced....” He stopped for a moment and lighted a cigarette, for he wanted to strike a note he had struck before. Alan was dull and would not think his doing so significant.
“Frankness is rather embarrassing,” he resumed. “You see. Kit is my relation, but I don’t feel I could reckon on his trustworthiness.”
“Kit’s straight; we don’t know all,” said Alan stubbornly. “In fact, I’m convinced he’s your proper helper and I thought you agreed.”
“You stated something like that before,” Jasper remarked, and added with a smile: “Well, it looks as if you, and perhaps others, bet on the wrong man.”
Alan frowned, and after a few minutes got up.
“My wife and Mrs. Haigh are going to the West End, and I believe Evelyn means to look up a friend. Perhaps I’d better inquire when they want to start.”
Soon after Jasper went to the smoking-room Ledward lighted a cigarette in the court. A band played quiet music and people walked about. Nobody came to Ledward’s corner and he was content to muse. He saw Jasper had meant the others to know he, so to speak, was the favorite, but the old fellow’s object was another thing. Anyhow, Jasper had undertaken to push him ahead, and since his word went, Ledward thought he was entitled to enjoy his satisfaction.
By and by he saw Evelyn on the other side of the court. He thought she looked for somebody, but he did not see the others and he crossed the floor. Evelyn went to a bench under a palm and Ledward sat down.
“I don’t think you congratulated me about my good luck,” he said.
Evelyn’s eyes sparkled. “For you to expect my congratulations was rather remarkable! Although you were Kit’s friend, you took his post.”