Can you tell me who a
young lady is with very dark hair, grey eyes, and a finely chiselled
face? She wore a blue dress when I saw her, with astrachan about her
neck and cuffs."
Robert chuckled to himself.
"I know that dress pretty well," he said. "It is my sister Laura whom
you describe."
"Your sister! Really! Why, there is a resemblance, now that my
attention is called to it. I saw her the other day, and wondered who
she might be. She lives with you, of course?"
"Yes; my father, she, and I live together at Elmdene."
"Where I hope to have the pleasure of making their acquaintance.
You have finished your cigar? Have another, or try a pipe. To the real
smoker all is mere trifling save the pipe. I have most brands of
tobacco here. The lockers are filled on the Monday, and on Saturday
they are handed over to the old folk at the alms-houses, so I manage to
keep it pretty fresh always. Well, if you won't take anything else,
perhaps you would care to see one or two of the other effects which I
have devised. On this side is the armoury, and beyond it the library.
My collection of books is a limited one; there are just over the fifty
thousand volumes. But it is to some extent remarkable for quality.
Pages:
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59