Why shouldn't he visit at the
house of P. C. Frome? Entirely clear as to his right, he yet
preferred his call not to become a matter of public gossip. For he
did not need to be told that there would be ugly rumors if it
should get out that Big Tim had called at his office for a
conference and he had subsequently been seen going to The Brakes.
Dunderheads not broad enough to separate social from political
intercourse would be quick to talk unpleasantly about it.
Deflecting from the path into a carriage driveway, he came through
a woody hollow to the rear of The Brakes. The grounds were
spacious, rolling toward the road beyond in a falling sweep of
wellkept lawn. He skirted the green till he came to a "raveled
walk that zig-zagged up through the grass, leaving to the left the
rough fern-clad bluff that gave the place its name.
The man who let him in had apparently received his instructions,
for he led Farnum to a rather small room in the rear of the big
house. Its single occupant was reclining luxuriantly among a
number of pillows on a lounge. From her lips a tiny spiral of
smoke rose like incense to the ceiling. James was conscious of a
little ripple of surprise as he looked down upon the copper crown
of splendid hair above which rested the thin nimbus of smoke.
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