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of being vexed at her failure to catch his name； the name of Verrian
ought to have been unmistakable。 〃The young lady in the office says
there won't be another； and I'm expected promptly。〃 She added； with a
little tremor of the lip； 〃I don't understand why Mrs。 Westangle〃
But then she stopped。
Verrian interpreted for her： 〃The sea…horses must have given out at
Seasands。 Or probably there's some mistake；〃 and he reflected bitterly
upon the selfishness of Miss Macroyd in grabbing that victoria for
herself and her maid； not considering that she could not know； and has no
business to ask； whether this girl was going to Mrs。 Westangle's； too。
〃Have you a check？〃 he asked。 〃I think our driver could find room for
something besides my valise。 Or I could have it come〃
〃Not at all；〃 the girl said。 〃I sent my trunk ahead by express。〃
A frowsy man； to match the frowsy horse； looked in impatiently。 〃Any
other baggage？〃
〃No；〃 Verrian answered； and he led the way out after the vanishing
driver。 〃Our chariot is back here in hiding； Miss〃
〃Shirley；〃 she said； and trailed before him through the door he opened。
He felt that he did not do it as a man of the world would have done it；
and in putting her into the ramshackle carryall he knew that he had not
the grace of the sort of man who does nothing else。 But Miss Shirley
seemed to have grace enough； of a feeble and broken sort； for both； and
he resolved to supply his own lack with sincerity。 He therefore set his
jaw firmly and made its upper angles jut sharply through his clean…shaven
cheeks。 It was well that Miss Shirley had some beauty to spare； too； for
Verrian had scarcely enough for himself。 Such distinction as he had was
from a sort of intellectual tenseness which showed rather in the gaunt
forms of his face than in the gray eyes； heavily lashed above and below；
and looking serious but dull with their rank； black brows。 He was
chewing a cud of bitterness in the accusal he made himself of having
forced Miss Shirley to give her name； but with that interesting
personality at his side； under the same tattered and ill…scented Japanese
goat…skin； he could not refuse to be glad； with all his self…blame。
〃I'm afraid it's rather a long drive…for you； Miss Shirley；〃 he ventured；
with a glance at her face； which looked very little under her hat。 〃The
driver says it's five miles round through the marshes。〃
〃Oh； I shall not mind；〃 she said； courageously； if not cheerfully； and he
did not feel authorized further to recognize the fact that she was an
invalid； or at best a convalescent。
〃These wintry tree…forms are fine； though；〃 he found himself obliged to
conclude his apology； rather irrelevantly； as the wheels of the rattling；
and tilting carry all crunched the surface of the road in the succession
of jerks responding to the alternate walk and gallop of the horse。
〃Yes； they are；〃 Miss Shirley answered； looking around with a certain
surprise； as if seeing them now for the first time。 〃So much variety of
color； and that burnished look that some of them have。〃 The trees； far
and near； were giving their tones and lustres in the low December sun。
〃Yes；〃 he said； 〃it's decidedly more refined than the autumnal coloring
we brag of。〃
〃It is；〃 she approved； as with novel conviction。 〃The landscape is
really beautiful。 So nice and flat；〃 she added。
He took her intention； and he said； as he craned his neck out of the
carryall to include the nearer roadside stretches； with their low bushes
lifting into remoter trees； 〃It's restful in a way that neither the
mountains nor the sea； quite manage。〃
〃Oh yes；〃 she sighed； with a kind of weariness which explained itself in
what she added： 〃It's the kind of thing you'd like to have keep on and
on。〃 She seemed to say that more to herself than to him； and his eyes
questioned her。 She smiled slightly in explaining： 〃I suppose I find it
all the more beautiful because this is my first real look into the world
after six months indoors。〃
〃Oh！〃 he said； and there was no doubt a prompting in his tone。
She smiled still。 〃Sick people are terribly； egotistical； and I suppose
it's my conceit of having been the centre of the universe so lately that
makes me mention it。〃 And here she laughed a little at herself； showing
a charming little peculiarity in the catch of her upper lip on her teeth。
〃But this is divinethis air and this sight。〃 She put her head out of
her side of the carryall； and drank them in with her lungs and eyes。
When she leaned back again on the seat she said； 〃I can't get enough of
it。〃
〃But isn't this old rattletrap rather too rough for you？〃 he asked。
〃Oh no；〃 she said； visiting him with a furtive turn of her eyes。 〃It's
quite ideally what invalids in easy circumstances are advised to take
carriage exercise。〃
〃Yes； it's certainly carriage exercise；〃 Verrian admitted in the same
spirit； if it was a drolling spirit。 He could not help being amused by
the situation in which they had been brought together； through the
vigorous promptitude of Miss Macroyd in making the victoria her own； and
the easy indifference of Mrs。 Westangle as to how they should get to her
house。 If he had been alone he might have felt the indifference as a
slight； but as it was he felt it rather a favor。 If Miss Shirley was
feeling it a slight； she was too secret or too sweet to let it be known；
and he thought that was nice of her。 Still； he believed he might
recognize the fact without deepening a possible hurt of hers； and he
added； with no apparent relevance； 〃If Mrs。 Westangle was not looking for
us on this train； she will find that it is the unexpected which happens。〃
〃We are certainly going to happen；〃 the girl said； with an acceptance of
the plural which deepened the intimacy of the situation； and which was
not displeasing to Verrian when she added； 〃If our friend's vehicle holds
out。〃 Then she turned her face full upon him； with what affected him as
austere resolution； in continuing； 〃But I can't let you suppose that
you're conveying a society person； or something of that sort； to Mrs。
Westangle's。〃 His own face expressed his mystification； and she
concluded； 〃I'm simply going there to begin my work。〃
He smiled provisionally in temporizing with the riddle。 〃You women are
wonderful； nowadays； for the work you do。〃
〃Oh； but；〃 she protested； nervously； anxiously； 〃it isn't good work that
I'm going to doI understand what you meanit's work for a living。
I've no business to be arriving with an invited guest； but it seemed to
be a question of arriving or not at the time when I was due。〃
IX。
Verrian stared at her now from a visage that was an entire blank； though
behind it conjecture was busy； and he was asking himself whether his
companion was some new kind of hair…dresser； or uncommonly cultivated
manicure； or a nursery governess obeying a hurry call to take a place in
Mrs。 Westangle's household； or some sort of amateur housekeeper arriving
to supplant a professional。 But he said nothing。
Miss Shirley said； with a distress which was genuine； though he perceived
a trace of amusement in it； too； 〃I see that I