He's the most difficult person to
manage. In fact, I can't manage him at all."
"Never mind about managing him, my dear," Miss Templeton replied, "so
long as you don't let him manage you. Young men who do nothing but
stare are not merely difficult--they are dangerous."
CHAPTER XII
THE GREAT CHALLENGE
When John Martin came into tea that afternoon, he gave Gladys a shock.
Despite the fact that he had been in the sun all day and was much
tanned in consequence he had never looked--so Gladys thought--so old
and haggard.
"You dear old Daddie!" she said, hastening to pour him out some tea,
"you shouldn't work so hard--this silly digging has quite knocked you
up! Haven't you finished?"
"Yes, I've finished!" John Martin said, catching his breath. "I've
found water!"
"Nonsense!"
"It's true all the same. We struck it at exactly the distance he
said--twenty feet."
"Then of course he knew."
"How? How the deuce could he have known?"
"I can't say," Gladys replied. "All I know is, that he's not straight,
and that there's some underhand trickery going on. But do have your
tea now, and dismiss it from your mind. Anyhow, he can do you no
harm."
"Here's a letter for you, John," Mrs. Templeton exclaimed, entering
the room at that moment.
John Martin took it from her, and tore open the envelope curiously. It
was a handwriting he did not know, and did not like--its
characteristics were sinister.
Pages:
141
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