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here； there； and yonder。
He was aware of suffering a little disappointment in Mrs。 Westangle's
entire failure to mention Miss Shirley； though he was aware that his
disappointment was altogether unreasonable； and he more reasonably
decided that if she knew anything of his arrival； or the form of it； she
had too much of the making of a grande dame to be recognizant of it。 He
did not know from her whether she had meant to send for him at the
station or not； or whether she had sent her carriage back for him when he
did not arrive in it at first。 Nothing was left in her manner of such
slight specialization as she had thrown into it when； at the Macroyds'；
she asked him down to her house party； she seemed； if there were any
difference； to have acquired an additional ignorance of who and what he
was； though she twittered and flittered up close to his elbow； after his
impersonal welcome； and asked him if she might introduce him to the young
lady who was pouring tea for her； and who； after the brief drama
necessary for possessing him of a cup of it； appeared to have no more use
for him than Mrs。 Westangle herself had。 There were more young men than
young women in the room； but he imagined the usual superabundance of
girlhood temporarily absent for repair of the fatigues of the journey。
Every girl in the room had at least one man talking to her； and the girl
who was pouring tea had one on each side of her and was trying to fix
them both with an eye lifted towards each； while she struggled to keep
her united gaze watchfully upon the tea…urn and those who came up with
cups to be filled or refilled。
Verrian thought his fellow…guests were all amiable enough looking； though
he made his reflection that they did not look； any of them； as if they
would set the Sound on fire； and again he missed the companion of his
arrival。
After he had got his cup of tea； he stood sipping it with a homeless air
which he tried to conceal； and cast a furtive eye round the room till it
rested upon the laughing face of Miss Macroyd。 A young man was taking
away her teacup； and Verrian at once went up and seized his place。
〃How did you get here？〃 she asked； rather shamelessly； since she had kept
him from coming in the victoria； but amusingly； since she seemed to see
it as a joke； if she saw it at all。
〃I walked；〃 he answered。
〃Truly？〃
〃No； not truly。〃
〃But； truly； how did you？ Because I sent the carriage back for you。〃
〃That was very thoughtful of you。 But I found a delightful public
vehicle behind the station； and I came in that。 I'm so glad to know that
it wasn't Mrs。 Westangle who had the trouble of sending the carriage back
for me。〃
Miss Macroyd laughed and laughed at his resentment。 〃But surely you met
it on the way？ I gave the man a description of you。 Didn't he stop for
you？〃
〃Oh yes； but I was too proud to change by that time。 Or perhaps I hated
the trouble。〃
Miss Macroyd laughed the more； then she purposely darkened her
countenance so as to suit it to her lugubrious whisper； 〃How did she get
here？〃
〃What she？〃
〃The mysterious fugitive。 Wasn't she coming here； after all？〃
〃After all your trouble in supposing so？〃 Verrian reflected a moment；
and then he said； deliberately； 〃 I don't know。〃
Miss Macroyd was not going to let him off like that。 〃You don't know how
she came； or you don't know whether she was coming？〃
〃I didn't say。〃
Her laugh resounded again。 〃Now you are trying to be wicked； and that is
very wrong for a novelist。〃
〃But what object could I have in concealing the fact from you； Miss
Macroyd？〃 he entreated； with mock earnestness。
〃That is what I want to find out。〃
〃What are you two laughing so about？〃 the voice of Mrs。 Westangle
twittered at Verrian's elbow； and； looking down； he found her almost
touching it。 She had a very long； narrow neck； and； since it was long
and narrow； she had the good sense not to palliate the fact or try to
dress the effect of it out of sight。 She took her neck in both hands； as
it were； and put it more on show； so that you had really to like it。 Now
it lifted her face； though she was not a tall person； well towards the
level of his； to be sure； he was himself only of the middle height of
men； though an aquiline profile helped him up。
He stirred the tea which he had ceased to drink； and said； 〃I wasn't
'laughing so about；' Mrs。 Westangle。 It was Miss Macroyd。〃
〃And I was laughing so about a mysterious stranger that came up on the
train with us and got out at your station。〃
〃And I was trying to make out what was so funny in a mysterious stranger；
or even in her getting out at your station。〃
Mrs。 Westangle was not interested in the case； or else she failed to
seize the joke。 At any rate； she turned from them without further
question and went away to another part of the room； where she semi…
attached herself in like manner to another couple； and again left it for
still another。 This was possibly her idea of looking after her guests；
but when she had looked after them a little longer in that way she left
the room and let them look after themselves till dinner。
〃Come； Mr。 Verrian；〃 Miss Macroyd resumed； 〃what is the secret？ I'll
never tell if you tell me。〃
〃You won't if I don't。〃
〃Now you are becoming merely trivial。 You are ceasing even to be
provoking。〃 Miss Macroyd； in token of her displeasure； laughed no
longer。
〃Am I？〃 he questioned； thoughtfully。 〃Well； then； I am tempted to act
upon impulse。〃
〃Oh； do act upon impulse for once；〃 she urged。 I'm sure you'll enjoy
it。〃
〃Do you mean that I'm never impulsive？〃
〃I don't think you look it。〃
〃If you had seen me an hour ago you would have said I was very impulsive。
I think I may have exhausted myself in that direction； however。 I feel
the impulse failing me now。〃
XI。
His impulse really had failed him。 It had been to tell Miss Macroyd
about his adventure and frankly trust her with it。 He had liked her at
several former meetings rather increasingly； because she had seemed open
and honest beyond the most of women； but her piggish behavior at the
station had been rather too open and honest； and the sense of this now
opportunely intervened between him and the folly he was about to commit。
Besides； he had no right to give Miss Shirley's part in his adventure
away； and； since the affair was more vitally hers than his； to take it at
all out of her hands。 The early…falling dusk had favored an unnoticed
advent for them； and there were other chances that had helped keep
unknown their arrival together at Mrs。 Westangle's in that squalid
carryall； such as Miss Shirley's having managed instantly to slip indoors
before the man came out for Verrian's suit…case； and of her having got to
her own appointed place long before there was any descent of the company
to the afternoon tea。
It was not for him now to undo all that and begin the laughing at the
affair； which she had pathetically intimated that she would rather some
one else should begin。 He recoiled from his imprudence with a shock； but
he had the pleasure of having mystified Miss Macroyd。 He felt dismissal
in the rov