The Business of Life

"Il est des noeuds secrets, il est des sympathies Dont par le doux rapport les Ames assorties S'attachent l'une à l'autre et se laissent piquer Par ces je ne sais quoi qu'on ne peut expliquer."

RODOGUNE.

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE "'I--yes. Yes--I'll be ready----'" Frontispiece "A lady to see you, sir'" 3 "Now and then she ... halted on tip-toe to lift some slitted visor" 51 "She took it ... then read aloud the device in verse" 57 "'Are business and friendship incompatible?'" 71 "'There are nice men, too'" 79 "And he sat thinking of Jacqueline Nevers" 93 "She turned leisurely.... 'Did you say anything recently, Mr. Desboro?'" 116 "Desboro stood staring down at the magic picture. Mrs. Clydesdale, too, had risen" 151 "'Which is the real pleasure?' she asked" 159 "'The thing to do,' he said ... 'is for us both to keep very busy'" 161 "'I--I beg your pardon,' said Jacqueline" 181 "There was, for a moment, an unconscious and unwonted grace in his manner" 197 "All the men there had yielded to the delicate attraction of her" 205 "In all the curious eyes turned toward her he saw admiration, willing or conceded" 209 "She lost herself in a dreamy Bavarian folk-song" 219 "Cheer after cheer rang through the hallway" 251 "'Business is kinder to men than women sometimes believe'" 273 "'Be careful,' he said ... 'People are watching us'" 277 "Mr. Waudle gaped at her like a fat and expiring fish; the poet ... said not a word" 345 "'My dear!' she exclaimed. 'What a perfectly charming office!'" 358 "She turned ... looked back, hesitated" 379 "'That's how hungry I am, Jim. I warned you'" 385 "'It was rather odd, wasn't it, Jim?'" 395 "'Why don't you ask your--wife?'" 411 "'I do not believe you,' she said between her teeth" 419 "What was she to do? She had gone half mad with fear" 427 "'Jacqueline--my wife--is the result of a different training'" 441 "In the rose dusk of the drawn curtains he stood beside it" 445 "'Now,' she said, leaning forward ... 'what is the meaning of this?'" 455 "'You have no further interest in me, have you?'" 479 "'I--I have never thought mercilessly'" 487 "And, as she rose, he was still figuring" 499

THE BUSINESS OF LIFE

CHAPTER I

[Illustration: "'A lady to see you, sir'"]

"A lady to see you, sir," said Farris.

Desboro, lying on the sofa, glanced up over his book.

"A lady?"

"Yes, sir."

"Well, who is she, Farris?"

"She refused her name, Mr. James."

Desboro swung his legs to the carpet and sat up.

"What kind of lady is she?" he asked; "a perfect one, or the real thing?"

"I don't know, sir. It's hard to tell these days; one dresses like t'other."

Desboro laid aside his book and arose leisurely.

"Where is she?"

"In the reception room, sir."

"Did you ever before see her?"

"I don't know, Mr. James--what with her veil and furs----"

"How did she come?"

"In one of Ransom's hacks from the station. There's a trunk outside, too."

"What the devil----"

"Yes, sir. That's what made me go to the door. Nobody rang. I heard the stompin' and the noise; and I went out, and she just kind of walked in. Yes, sir."

"Is the hack out there yet?"

"No, sir. Ransom's man he left the trunk and drove off. I heard her tell him he could go."