“Come along!” answered Thorpe, cheerily. He strode to the end of the room and raised a window. From the same corner he turned on some added lights.
Under this more effective illumination, the lady of the house advanced, with Miss Madden and the Hon. Winifred close behind her. “Frank has gone to bed,” she explained to the Duke, who had risen. Then she turned to her husband a bright-eyed glance: “You don't mind—our coming?” she asked.
“Mind!” he called out, with robust impressiveness. “Mind!” As if to complete the expression of his meaning, he threw his arm loosely about her, where she stood, and brought her to his side. They remained standing thus, before the fireplace, after the others were all seated.
“Mr. Thorpe has been outlining to me the most wonderful plans,” said the Duke, looking from one face to another, with a reserved smile. “It seems that philanthropy fails unless it is combined with very advanced politics. It is a new idea to me—but he certainly states it with vigour. Do you understand it, Edith?”
“Oh, perfectly,” replied the wife, smilingly. “I am his first convert. Behold in me the original disciple.”
“The worst of that is,” commented Thorpe, with radiant joviality, “she would subscribe to any other new doctrine of mine just as readily.” He tightened the arm encircling her by a perceptible trifle. “Wouldn't you, sweetheart?” he demanded.
She seemed in nowise embarrassed by these overt endearments. There was indeed the dimmest suggestion in her face and voice of a responsive mood. “Really,” she began, with a soft glance, half-deprecation, half-pride, bent upon the others, and with thoughtful deliberation,—“really the important thing is that he should pursue some object—have in view something that he is determined to master. Without that, he is not contented—not at his best. He should have been a soldier. He has a passion for battle in his blood. And now that he sees something he is eager to do—I am very glad. It makes it none the less acceptable that good is to come from it.”
“I still maintain,” said Miss Madden, interpolating her words through the task of lighting a cigarette, and contriving for them an effect of drollery which appealed to Thorpe most of all—“I shall always insist, just the same, that crime was his true vocation.”