Page:Sheila and Others (1920).djvu/150

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138
SHEILA AND OTHERS

been shut in the kitchen while his divinity made good her escape, was responsible for this changed attitude towards life, lowering both his own standard of honor and his rating of ours. Henceforth, he watched our every movement, guarding the stair landings, agonizing at the front door, sure that somebody was going out into the bright world with intent to leave him behind. Sometimes he was humbly obedient with only an air of pained surprise when you told him you were going and couldn't take him. But there were other occasions when you detected in him from the first the deliberate and determined intention to go with you whether or no. Greater emphasis in your command only increased the non-committal air he assumed. You were already out on the street probably, having been anticipated at the gate by the ardent and overjoyed Keddo. So you had no alternative but to walk ruthlessly on, turning back now and then to stentoriously repeat the injunction to go home, sir, whereat Keddo would appear to have forgotten all about you and to be sauntering off on private affairs of his own on the other side of the street. Every time you looked, he was there still about half a block