of them,
while Claire chattered:

"Yes, we weren't exclusive out on the road. Didn't we meet funny people
though! Oh, somehow that 'funny people' sounds familiar. But---- What
fun that morning was at--Pellago, was it? Heavens, I'm forgetting those
beastly little towns already--that place where we hazed the poor
landlady who overcharged me."

"Yes." He was thinking of how much Claire would forget, now. "Yes. We
certainly fixed her, all right. Uh--did you get the storage check for
your car?"

"Oh yes, thank you. So nice of you to bother with it."

"Oh, nothing at all, nothing---- Nothing at all. Uh---- Do you like
Seattle?"

"Oh yes. Such views--the mountains---- Do you like it?"

"Oh yes. Always wanted to see the sea."

"Yes, and---- Such a well-built town."

"Yes, and---- They must do a lot of business here."

"Yes, they---- Oh yes, I do like Seat----"

He had darted from his chair, brushed by the tea-wagon, ignoring its
rattle and the perilous tipping of cups. He put his hand on her
shoulder, snorted, "Look here. We're both sparring for time. Stop it.
It's--it's all right, Claire. I want you to like me, but I'm not--I'm
not like that woman you were telling about that's trying to butt in. I
know, Lord I know so well what you're thinking! You're thinking I'm not
up to the people you've been seeing last couple of days--not up to 'em
yet, anyway. Well---- We'll be good friends."

Fearless, now, his awe gone in tenderness, he lifted her chin, looked
straight into her eyes, smiled. But his courage was slipping. He wanted
to run and hide.

He turned abruptly, grumbling, "Well, better get back to work now, I
guess."

Her cry was hungry: "Oh, please don't go." She was beside him, shyly
picking at his sleeve. "I know what you mean. I like you for being so
understanding. But---- I do like you. You were the perfect companion.
Let's---- Oh, let's have a walk--and try to laugh again."

He definitely did not want to stay. At this moment he did not love her.
He regarded her as an estimable young woman who, for a person so
idiotically reared, had really shown a good deal of pluck out on the
road--where he wanted to be. He stood in the hall disliking his old cap
while she ran up to put on a top coat.

Mute, casual, they tramped out of the house together, and down the hill
to a region of shabby old brown houses like blisters on the hillside.
They had little to say, and that little was a polite reminiscence of
incide