of agitation in her he answered and hoped to quiet
by an increased calm in his own manner. The humblest of men have moments
of pride; it must be confessed that Bob thought he was behaving not only
with proper feeling but also with considerable tact--a tact that was
based on knowledge of women.

Interviews such as these--and they were not infrequent--formed a rather
incongruous background, but also an undeniable relief, to the life Janie
was leading at Fairholme. That seemed to have little concern with Bob
Broadley and to be engrossed in the struggle between Harry and Duplay.
Both men pressed on. Harry had not been scared away. Duplay would win
without using his secret weapon, if he could. Each had his manner;
Harry's constrained yet direct; the Major's more florid, more expressed
in glances, compliments, and attentions. Neither had yet risked the
decisive word. Janie was playing for delay. The Major seemed inclined to
grant it her; he would make every step firm under him before he took
another forward. But Harry grew impatient, was imperious in his calls on
her time, and might face her with the demand for an answer any day. She
could not explain how it was, but somehow his conduct seemed to be
influenced by the progress of Lady Tristram's illness. She gathered this
idea from words he let fall; perhaps his mother wanted to see the affair
settled before she died. Duplay often spoke of the illness too; it
could have no importance for him at least, she thought.

About Harry Tristram anyhow she was right. He was using to its full
value his rival's chivalrous desire to make no movement during Lady
Tristram's lifetime; he reckoned on it and meant to profit by it. The
Major had indeed conveyed to him that the chivalry had its limits; even
if that were so, Harry would be no worse off; and there was the chance
that Duplay would not speak. A look of brutality would be given to any
action of his while Lady Tristram lay dying; Harry hoped this aspect of
his conduct would frighten him. At least it was worth risking. The
doctors talked of two months more; Harry Tristram meant to be engaged
before one of them was out. Could he be married before the second ran
its course? Mrs Iver would have scoffed at the idea, and Janie shrunk
from it. But a dying mother's appeal would count with almost
irresistible strength in such a case; and Harry was sure of being
furnished with this aid.

He came to Fairholme a day or two after Janie had talke