"But he—"
"I mean," Carron explained, "as soon as he gets back. He's not to be gone long, is he?"
"Why, he isn't away," she exclaimed. "He's here!"
"Oh!" Carron murmured. He looked keenly at her. Involuntarily he glanced at the empty place.
"He often doesn't come in to supper," Mrs. Rader explained.
"Well, then—" he hesitated. Finding himself so suddenly all but upon Rader was embarrassing as well as exciting. "Do you think he's busy this evening?"
In her turn Mrs. Rader was surprised. "He isn't busy, exactly, but I'm afraid," she smiled faintly, "he doesn't know much more about hunting than I do."
"No doubt you both know much more than I do. Do you think perhaps he could spare me a few minutes?"
"Oh, yes." She looked at him more curiously than she had since his first arrival. He thought she was about to offer another objection, but she only said, "Would you like to see him now?"
"If it is convenient." He tried to make the answer sound casual enough, but he was beginning to have the most uneasy expectations of Rader.
28
