CHAPTER XXXII 



A LAST GLANCE AT FRENCH 



On the morning of the thu'teenth, when the men 

 had departed, Mr French for Epsom with the horse, 

 and Mr Dashwood to HoUborough to bail out the 

 bailiff, Miss Grimshaw found herself alone and, 

 for the first time in many months, lonely. The 

 society of women can never make up to a woman 

 for the society of men, and the society of men can 

 never make up to a man for the society of women. 

 French and Dashwood had taken away a genial 

 something with them; the place seemed deserted. 

 She had grown fond of them both, extremely 

 fond of them, and if she had cross-questioned 

 herseK on the subject she could not have dis- 

 covered, I think, which man she cared for most 

 as a companion. Bobby Dashwood had youth 

 on his side, and youth appeals to youth ; but then 

 French had experience — though it had never done 

 him much good — and personaUty. There was 

 a lot of sunhght about Michael French; one felt 

 better for his presence, and though he would 

 knock a man down for two pins, though he made 

 sport out of debt and debts over sport, and 



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