THE COMPACT 129 



finished Mr Dashwood, " but I wish it had hap- 

 pened some other way. In fact, I wish I'd never 

 met Miss H. at all." 



" And who is the other girl? " asked Mr 

 French. 



"Oh, you know her." 



"I? " 



" Yes; she's down at your place now." 



" Not Miss Grimshaw? " 



" Yes, Miss Grimshaw. And that's the reason 

 I'm going down West. I want to see her and tell 

 her all." 



French whistled; then he laughed. 



" You seem in mighty good spirits over her," 

 said he. " How do you know she'll have any- 

 thing to do with you? Have you asked her? " 



" Asked her! No. How could I, when I was 

 tied up like that? That's what drove me off my 

 balance. But I'm going to ask her, and that's 

 why I've come over to Ireland." 



" Look here," said Mr French. 



" Yes? " 



'* You said when I met you in the hall you were 

 going to put up at Mrs Sheelan's. You're not. 

 Come and stay at Drumgool, on one condition." 



" What's that? " 



" That you don't ask her. First of all, you 

 haven't known her long enough, and she hasn't 

 known you long enough, to find out whether you 

 are properly matched. Secondly, I'm not so sure 

 that I'm not going to ask her myself." 



