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seeing Winn as he must have looked when he was about twenty. She wondered if this was only because he had won the match. His eyes were very open and they were off their guard. It could not be said that Winn had ever in his life looked appealing, but for a Staines to look so exposed to friendliness was very nearly an appeal. "Mavorovitch has just left me," said Miss Marley. "You ought to have heard what he said about you. It was worth hearing. You played this afternoon like a successful demon dealing with lost souls. I don't think I've ever seen bandy played quite in that vein before." Winn sank into one of the leather armchairs and lighted a cigarette. "As a matter of fact," he said, "I played like a fluke. I am not up to Mavorovitch's form at all. I just happened to be on my game; he would have had me down and out otherwise." Miss Marley nodded; she was wondering what had put Winn on his game. She turned her eyes away from him and looked into the fire. Winn was resting for the first time that day; the sense of physical ease and her even, tranquil comradeship were singularly soothing to him. Suddenly it occurred to him that he very much liked Miss Marley, and in a way in which he had never before liked any woman, with esteem and without excitement. He gave her a man's first proof of confidence. "Look here," he said, "I want you to help me." Miss Marley turned her eyes back to him; she was a plain woman, but she was able to speak with her eyes, and though what she said was sometimes hard and always honest, on the present occasion they expressed only an intense reassurance of good-will. "When I came in," Winn said rather nervously, "I meant to ask you a little thing, but I find I am going to ask you a big one." "Oh, well," said Miss Marley, "ask away. Big or little, friends should stand by each other." "Yes," said Winn, relieved, "that's what I thought you'd say. I don't know that I ever mentioned to you I'm married?" "No," she answered quietly, "I can't say that you did; however, most men of your age are married." "And I've got a son," Winn continued. "His name is Peter--after my father, you know." "That's a good thing," she concurred heartily. "I'm glad you've got a son." "Unfortunately," said Winn, "my marriage didn't exactly come off. We got hold of the wrong end of the stick." "Ah," said Miss Marley, "that's a pity! The right end of the stick is, I believe, almost essential in marriage
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