CHAPTER XXXVI
MILES BREAKS THE NEWS
A compromise had been effected with the striking waiters, and the heat had lessened a little in its intensity. The two things, together with the nonappearance of Ashby Stout were blessings for which Rex had to be grateful.
But when the stage came in and he recognized among the passengers Miles Darley and the latter’s father, he did not know whether he was glad or not. They were links connecting him with that past life which he was trying his best to forget. Now it seemed to him that only by forgetting it and thus doing away with the power of contrast, could he be happy in the present.
“You dear old fellow!” Miles rushed forward with this exclamation and fairly took Rex in his arms.
He had grown much in the past few months and the clothes he wore set off his figure to great advantage.
“I won’t say where on earth did you come from,” said Rex, “but where in the world are you going to, that you should take in this forsaken place?”
“Well, that’s polite, I’m sure,” laughed Miles, “Can’t you imagine that Batemans may be our objective point?”
“No, because I’m certain you can’t be interested in saw mills, and that’s the only thing that brings people here.”
“But I can be interested in you, can’t I, Rex? I’ve missed you terribly. That great house seems so lonely with only three of us in it.”
“But you needn’t have stayed there in the summer. There’s the White Mountains or the sea coast—lots of places you could have gone to.”