39 Feathers rose and threw down his paper. 

39

"They've only just gone," he said. "We can catch them up if you come now." 

But Chris was thoroughly out of temper. He had letters to write, he said, and no doubt Marie would be back before long. He turned away and Feathers strolled out into the sunshine alone. 

He knew to which beach Marie and Atkins had gone, and he sauntered slowly along in that direction. 

It was a glorious morning, and the sea front was crowded. The hot sun beat down on his uncovered head and dark face, and one or two women looked after him interestedly. 

Feathers was not just merely ugly to all women. Some of them realized the strength and character in his face, and with true femininity wondered what his wife was like! 

But Feathers was unmarried, and fully intended to remain so. He had spent a roving life, and always declared that he was not going to put on a clean collar or wash his hands unless he felt inclined to for any woman's sake. 

"Not that any woman is ever likely to interest herself either in my hands or collars," he added ruefully. 

Chris had sworn eternal bachelorhood also, which partly accounted for Feathers' disgust when he wrote to him of his intended marriage. 

He had written back a sarcastic letter which Chris had carefully destroyed without showing it to Marie. 

"I never thought you were a petticoat follower . . . What in the name of all that's holy has made you change your mind? Is it money, brains, or merely a pretty face? No, I will not be your best man—I won't even come to your beastly wedding. If you choose to get into a tangle like this you can do so without my assistance, and later on, if you want to get out of it, don't come crying to me for help either. I wash my hands of you!" 

He had been quite prepared to dislike Marie, and was surprised because he did not; but then—so he argued to himself—how could anybody dislike such a child? And his sentiments veered right round 40 the other way, until he decided that in all probability she would need protecting from Chris, though why, or in what way, he had not the smallest idea. 

40

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