Add to this the feeling that his own career was
at its crisis. Even Fanny Gaston, who rather unwillingly accompanied her
sister to the Bull, was in twenty-four hours caught by the spirit of
combat and acknowledged that Quisante was a fine leader of a battle,
however much he left to be desired as a brother-in-law. She flung herself
into the fight with unstinted zeal, and was rewarded by Quisante's
conviction that he had at last entirely overcome her dislike of him.
"He's really splendid in his own way," she wrote to Jimmy Benyon--by now
they had come to corresponding occasionally--"and I think that you
anyhow--I don't ask Dick, who's got a fight of his own--might come and
give him some help. People know how much you did for him, and it looks
rather odd that you should neither of you be here." So Jimmy, after a
struggle, packed up, and gave and received a reciprocal shock of surprise
when he got into the same railway carriage as the Dean and Mrs. Baxter.
"What, are you going too?" cried Jimmy.
Mrs. Baxter explained that they were not going to join Mr.
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