Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER II "WHAT do you think of him?" Selina was enquiring, with a side-nod in the direction of Mr. Casswade. She had detached herself at last from the fast-and-loose Sanders, sat down beside the freckled young man with the pale look, and was fanning herself demurely. "Who?" he asked, stonily. It took George Baversham more than a few seconds to get over his first spasm of jealousy ; and he meant her to divine that very possibly he never would get over it. " Why, that's Mr. Matt Casswade. You must know him !—he's got whole streets of new houses to let or sell round about here. He'd have been on the Council—very likely Mayor—if he could read and write. Don't be silly, dear ! " She darted her closed fan into his waistcoat, somewhere over his heart. And the young man started and drew himself up as stiffly as was possible in a sitting position. " Thank you for breaking my watch," he said. " No, I don't know anythin' about the gentleman, except that I shouldn't like to keep him in drink. Is he any relation of yours, may I ask ? " " Well, not quite what you would term a relation," she admitted, looking with a provoking dreaminess into his flushed face. " But we'veknown him for years, in a way. He's very nice— if you can get on with him. And rich !—he says himself he doesn't know what he's worth—only it's all locked up in property. Wasn't it good of him to come so informal on my birthday ? Do you think we shall ever have property ? " she enquired, with another stimulating dart at his waistcoat. " Don't do that ! " George half shouted. He went white this time. " If you're goin' to play the fool with me, jest to show off before your dressed- up friends " " Oh, very well ; that's enough." Selina stood up, fanning languidly. The excitement of the occasion had certainly c... --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.