hink you'd disappeared altogether.
Where've you been hiding?"

"Do you mind very much," he asked, gazing down at her contentedly, "if
I honour you with my company a part of the way?"

"No objection whatever. Hasn't it been a scorcher? Up there, what
with the heat and the noise of the machines going, it's made my head
ache."

"You won't care to go to a concert then. Shall we have a boat again in
Regent's Park? We are both magnificent sailors."

"I'd rather be somewheres where we can talk."

"Why," he declared, "that is just what I should prefer. The similarity
in our tastes is almost alarming."

"Primrose Hill is rather a nice open space."

"Sounds perfectly delightful," he agreed; "but I can't in the least
guess where it is."

"I know my way about London," said Gertie Higham.

They walked along Oxford Street, the girl endeavouring to keep in step
with him, and he attempting to keep in step with her; they appeared to
decide near to Wells Street that it would be more convenient to fall
back on individual methods. At the corner of Tottenham Court Road
Gertie hailed a yellow omnibus which was on the point of starting; she
skipped up the steps with a confidence that made the conductor's
warning "'Old tight!" superfluous.

"You didn't mind my sending out that message the other evening?"
Beginning the conversation breathlessly.

"I considered it kind of you to be so thoughtful."

"It wasn't exactly that. I didn't want a row with aunt. What did you
think of Mr. Trew?"

"Do you know, it occurred to me that he looked rather like an omnibus
driver."

"He is an omnibus driver."

"A relative?"

"Better than that--a friend. I s'pose you're somewhat particular about
relations?"

The conductor came, and the girl had thought of other questions by the
time fares to the Adelaide were paid. A man on the seat in front
turned to ask her companion for a match; he handed over a silver box
that bore a monogram. She begged permission, when it was given back,
to look at the case.

"Which stands for the Christian name?"

"The H."

"And D. is for the surname then--H. D."

"Henry Douglass," he said.

"I like the sound of it," she declared. "What do you think the name of
the forewoman at our place of business is?" She chattered on, and he
listened attentively, as though the sound of her voice was all that
mattered.

At the Adelaide they alighted, and, walking up the short hill, found
Regent's Park Road;