nto apparent high spirits. She ceased
to care whether she talked rubbish or not. She was no longer silent.
Many people asked to be introduced to the rising star, and many people
congratulated her. Instead of being modest, and a little stupid and
retiring, she now answered back badinage with flippant words of her own.
Her cleverness was such an established fact that her utter nonsense was
received as wit, and she soon had throngs of men and women round her
laughing at her words and privately taking note of them.

Franks all the while stood as a sort of bodyguard. He listened, and his
cool judgment never wavered for a moment.

"I must give her a hint," he said to himself; "she requires training.
That sort of sparkling, effervescent nonsense is in itself in as bad
taste and is as poor as the essay she sent me when she played her great
practical joke. She is playing a practical joke now on these people,
leading them to believe that her chaff is wit."

He came up to her gravely in a pause in the conversation, and asked her
if she would like to go in to supper. She laid her hand on his arm, and
they threaded their way through the throng. They did not approach the
supper-room, however. Franks led her into a small alcove just beside the
greenhouse.

"Ah," he said, "I have been watching this place; couples have been in it
the whole evening: couples making love, couples making arrangements for
future work, couples of all sorts, and now this couple, you and I, find
ourselves here. We are as alone as if we were on the top of Mont Blanc."

"What a funny simile!" said Florence. She laughed a little uneasily. "I
thought," she continued, "you were going to take me in to supper."

"I will presently; I want first to ask you a question, and to say
something to you."

"I am all attention," replied Florence.

"There is no use in beating about the bush," said Franks, after a pause.
"The thing admits of either 'yes' or 'no.' Miss Aylmer, I take a great
interest in you."

"Oh, don't, please," said Florence.

"But I do; I believe I can help you. I believe that you and I together
can have a most brilliant career. Shall we work in harness? Shall we
become husband and wife? Don't start; don't say no at first. Think it
over: it would be an admirable arrangement."

"So it would," said Florence. Her answer came out quietly. She looked
full into Franks's cold grey eyes, and burst into a mirthless laugh.

"Why do you look at me like that?