"
Then the veil of her instinctive reticence fell over her again and she
began to talk of her recent attempts to get about on snow-shoes, Jose
and Hugh having been her instructors, so far. Harry immediately offered
his services, and she accepted them, agreeing to go out with him the
next morning.
And as they talked Jose glanced at them from time to time, a touch of
malicious laughter in his odd glancing eyes; there were few things that
escaped Jose.
That evening, after Seagreave had gone home, when Jose and Gallito and
Mrs. Thomas and Mrs. Nitschkan had sat late over their cards, Gallito
had risen after a final game, mended the fire, poured himself a glass of
cognac, lighted another cigarette and, stretching himself in an
easy-chair, entered into one of those confidential talks which he
occasionally permitted himself with his chosen cronies. The earlier part
of the evening Jose and Pearl had danced for a time together, and then
Pearl had danced for a time alone and in a manner to please even her
father's critical taste. Now, in commenting on this, he remarked:
"You see the change in my daughter. She is now cheerful, obedient and
industrious. When she came she was none of those things. She is, you
see, a good girl at heart, but her mother had almost ruined her. If men
but had the time they should always bring up the children of the family.
It is only in that way that they can ever be a credit to one."
Mrs. Thomas, who had been bending over the stove brewing a pot of coffee
which she and Mrs.
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