2o6 The Real Charlotte. 



is ? — Coppard. Pots of money, but mighty plain about the 

 head, I believe. He kept it pretty dark, didn't he ? " 



" Apparently it got out, for all that." 



Lambert thought he detected a tinge of ridicule in the 

 voice, whether of him or of Hawkins he did not know ; it 

 gave just the necessary spur to that desire to open 

 Christopher's eyes for him a bit. 



" Oh, yes, it got out," he said, putting his elbow on the 

 table, and balancing his teaspoon on his forefinger, " but I 

 think there are very few that know for certain it's a fact, — 

 fortunately for our friend." 



"Why fortunately? I shouldn't think it made much 

 difference to anyone." 



" Well, as a rule, girls don't care to flirt with an engaged 

 man." 



" No, I suppose not," said Christopher, yawning with a 

 frankness that was a singular episode in his demeanour 

 towards his agent. 



Lambert felt his temper rising every instant. He was a 

 man whose jealousy took the form of reviling the object of 

 his affections, if, by so doing, he could detach his rivals. 



'^ Well, Francie Fitzpatrick knows it for one ; but perhaps 

 she's not one of the girls who object to flirting with an 

 engaged man." 



Lambert got up and walked to the window ; he felt that 

 he could no longer endure seeing nothing of Christopher 

 except a lank silhouette with an offensive repose of attitude. 

 He propped his back against one of the shutters, and 

 obviously waited for a comment. 



" I should think it was an inexpensive amusement/' said 

 Christopher, in his most impersonal and academic manner, 

 *' but likely to pall." 



" Pall ! Deuce a bit of it ! " Lambert put a toothpick in 

 his mouth, and began to chew it, to convey the effect of 

 ease. " I can tell you I've known that girl since she was 

 the length of my stick, and I never saw her that she wasn't 

 up to some game or other ; and she wasn't over particular 

 about engagements or anything else ! " 



Christopher slightly shifted his position, but did not 

 speak, and Lambert went on : 



*' I'm very fond of the girl, and she's a good-hearted little 



