A Man's Hearth. Eleanor M. Ingram

Чтение книги онлайн.

      Published by Good Press, 2019

       [email protected]

      EAN 4057664563552

Table of Contents

       ILLUSTRATIONS

       A MAN'S HEARTH

       CHAPTER I Tony Adriance—"Millions, You Know!"

       CHAPTER II His Neighbor's Wife

       CHAPTER III The Girl Outside

       CHAPTER IV The Woman Who Grasped

       CHAPTER V. The Little Red House

       CHAPTER VI The Woman Who Gave

       CHAPTER VII The Daring Adventure

       CHAPTER VIII Andy of the Motor-Trucks.

       CHAPTER IX The Luck in the House.

       CHAPTER X Mrs. Masterson Takes Tea

       CHAPTER XI The Glowing Hearth

       CHAPTER XII The Upper Trail

       CHAPTER XIII What Tony Built

       CHAPTER XIV The Cabaret Dancer

       CHAPTER XV The Other Man's Road

       CHAPTER XVI The Guitar of Alenya of the Sea

       CHAPTER XVII Russian Mike and Maître Raoul Galvez

       CHAPTER XVIII The Challenge

       CHAPTER XIX The Adriances

       CHAPTER XX The Cornerstone

ILLUSTRATIONS

       Table of Contents

A MAN'S HEARTH

       Table of Contents

CHAPTER I

       Tony Adriance—"Millions, You Know!"

       Table of Contents

      The man who had taken shelter in the stone pavilion hesitated before taking a place on the curved bench before him. He had the air of awaiting some sign of welcome or dismissal from the seat's occupant; receiving none, he sat down and turned his gaze toward the broad Drive, where people were scattering before the sudden flurry of rain. It suggested spring rather than autumn, this shower that had swept out of a wind-blown cloud and was already passing.

      After a moment he drew a cigar-case from his pocket, then paused. Obviously, he was not familiar with the etiquette of the public parks, with their freedom and lack of formalities. He was beside a woman—a girl. He had no wish to be inconsiderate, yet, to speak—in suspicious, sardonic New York—that was to invite misconstruction, or a flirtation. Still——

      "May I smoke?" he suddenly and brusquely shot his question.

      The girl turned towards him. Her eyes were as gray as the rain; heavily shadowed by their lashes, their expression had a misted aloofness suggesting thoughts hastily recalled from remote distances. He realized that he might have come, smoked, and gone without drawing her notice any more than a blowing leaf. She was not a beauty, but he liked the clearing frankness of the glance with which she judged him, and judged aright. He liked it, too, that she did not smile, and that her steadfast regard showed neither invitation nor hostility.

      "Thank you," she answered. "Please do."

      The form of her reply seemed to him peculiarly gracious and unexpected, as if she gave with both hands instead of doling out the merely necessary. He never had known a woman who gave; they always took, in his experience. Unconsciously he lifted his hat in acknowledgment of the tone rather than the permission. That was all, of course. She returned to her study of river and sky, while he drew out his cigar. But afterward he looked at her, unobtrusively.

      She was dressed altogether in black, but not the black of mourning, he judged. The costume, plain but not shabby, conventional СКАЧАТЬ