Who Pays the Piper? Read Online Free PDF

tied round his neck just when he wants all his thoughts and energies for his work? It’s a hard scramble getting up the ladder, and the married men don’t make it. They’re carrying two, and the last little bit of push that means success peters out over trying to make both ends meet round the family bills.”
    Susan said, “Stop!” Her eyes were wide and frightened. This wasn’t Lucas Dale’s voice. It was a voice that talked with her when she was tired, when she was discouraged, when she couldn’t sleep.
    He said, “It’s true.”
    Susan tried for words. She couldn’t get the right ones. She tried again.
    â€œPeople have to make up their own minds about that sort of thing. No one else can say.”
    â€œThat’s true enough,” said Lucas Dale. “And you’re putting it kindly. You might have told me to mind my own business, and if you had, I should have told you that it was my business because I love you, and because I know what I’m talking about. You see, when I was Carrick’s age I did just that very thing—I fell in love and I married with nothing in the cupboard and my way to make. That’s why I could say what I did just now—I’ve been there. It was just plain hell. You don’t know what it does to a man, trying to be in two places at once, live two lives, work double tides, never get anywhere, and come home at night to a girl who hasn’t known what to do with herself all day. There wasn’t much left of our fine romance after six months. We had to count every penny. Sometimes there weren’t any pennies to count. She was very pretty, and she’d been used to more money than I could give her—she was on the stage. We’d been married just a year when she walked out on me.”
    â€œIs she dead?” said Susan. Her soft heart was touched. She was sorry for him.
    He gave a short laugh.
    â€œNo, she’s not dead. You know the first thing I did when I struck a bit of luck? I got my divorce, and I was every bit as glad to get it as I had been to get the licence to marry her. That makes you stop and think a bit, doesn’t it? She’d been bad luck to me all right, and when I got rid of her I got rid of my bad luck too. That’s when I went out to my first job in the States, and from then on everything went right. I couldn’t put a foot wrong if I tried. Well, I didn’t mean to go into all that. I only wanted to show you that I knew what I was talking about. And if you marry me, I’d know how to make you a good husband. I’d make you happy, Susan.”
    She looked at him without anger and shook her head. There was pity in her eyes, and something that wasn’t quite a smile.
    â€œYou don’t think so now,” said Lucas Dale. “But I’ll make you happy, and I’ll make you love me.” His voice was suddenly rough with feeling.
    â€œI can’t listen,” said Susan. “ Please , Mr. Dale——”
    He stood out of her way.
    â€œThat’s all,” he said.

CHAPTER V
    Coming up the garden, Susan met Montague Phipson. He had an inky forefinger, and his usually sleek fair hair was slightly ruffled. His pince-nez dangled by the cord, and without it his pale blue eyes had a vague, short-sighted look. He was hurrying, but when he saw Susan he stopped.
    â€œOh, Miss Lenox, have you seen Mr. Dale anywhere?”
    â€œHe is in the rose garden—I’ve just left him there.”
    He looked worried.
    â€œThen perhaps I—or is he just coming, do you think?”
    Susan hoped not.
    She said, “I’m late—I must fly,” and hurried on. She was angry, resentful, and frightened, but in some odd way Dale had touched her. There had been tears in her eyes. She wanted to get away, to be alone, to think about Gilbert Garnish and fees—lots and lots of comfortable fat fees for Bill, so that they could have their house