EFFIE'S BUSINESS 209 



Hotel he had no views regarding her. She was 

 in his house, under his protection; he looked on 

 her more as a daughter than a stranger brought 

 under his roof by chance, and had Bobby Dash- 

 wood not intervened he might have continued 

 so to regard her. But the instant Mr Dashwood 

 spoke, Mr French became aware that Miss Grim- 

 shaw had become a necessity to him, or, rather, 

 a necessary luxury. He was not in love with her, 

 but she was a charming person to have in the 

 house; she carried brightness with her; he did 

 not want to lose her, and here was Dashwood pro- 

 posing to carry her away. 



Recognising that Bobby was very much in 

 earnest, and knowing that, when he had passed 

 his irresponsible stage, he would make an excellent 

 suitor for any girl, French, large-hearted and 

 generous, was not the man to put barriers in the 

 way of a good match for the homeless orphan from 

 the States. But he would have no engagement 

 on a half -formed acquaintanceship. If, when they 

 had got to know each other well, Violet preferred 

 Bobby to anyone else, well and good; if she pre- 

 ferred him (French), all the better. 



But since that compact at the Shelbourne, 

 though French had been so occupied by the horse 

 that he had scarcely time to think of anything 

 else, the bonds had been strengthening between 

 him and the girl, and his kindly feehng for Bobby 

 had been increasing. 



He did not recognise the facts fuUy till he put 



