THE ORDEAL 



It's the other way. I'm going to ask 

 Miss Clay to be my wife." 



" Good heavens ! " This came 

 with so sharp a change of tone 

 from Calvert that Austin almost 

 jumped round in his chair to look 

 at him. 



" What is it, old chap ? Do you 

 know anything against it ? " cried 

 Austin. 



" No at least, not exactly except 

 that well, I had intended to do the 

 same thing myself." 



"You!" 



" Yes, but it never struck me that 

 you were meaning anything that way. 

 I never thought " 



Then both relapsed into silence 

 for a moment, till Austin summed up 

 the situation with the remark ; 

 96 



