“So many of those terrible enthusiastic marriages turn out badly.”
“A great many; I must get Stargarde to talk to you about the marriage question.”
“Who is Stargarde?” asked Vivienne curiously.
“Stargarde is Stargarde,” said Judy enigmatically; “wait till you see her. Good-night.”
CHAPTER IX
THE PAVILION
Dr. Camperdown lived in a large, bare stone house a few blocks distant from his office. Late one afternoon he stood at one of the back windows from which he commanded a magnificent view of the harbor.
“Bah! it’s going to be cold to-night,” he said, suddenly banging down the window; “the snow clouds have blown away.”
He looked about his lonely room, where the furniture was ugly and scanty and the general aspect of things cheerless. “Desolate, eh,” he muttered thoughtfully fixing his eyes on the expiring embers of the fire. “I’ll go and see Stargarde. How long since I’ve seen the——?” and some endearing epithet lost itself between his lips and his moustache.
“It is twelve days—nearly a fortnight,” he went on after a pause. “Time for another spree,” and with grim cheerfulness he lighted the gas and seizing a brush and comb began briskly to smooth his towzled head.
After his refractory locks were in order he went to his wardrobe where with many head shakings he turned over his whole stock of coats before he could find one to suit him."