ve you to entertain one another while I get tea."

And she bolted out of the room.

Esther looked after her with angry eyes; she thought June might have
stayed--she took a quick step forward to call her back, but Micky
stopped her; he put a hand on the door above her head, shutting it
fast.

"I'm going to speak to you, whether you like it or not," he said.

She faced him angrily; she was very flushed.

"I don't know what you mean. You've no right to speak to me like that.
If Miss Mason has asked you here to meet me----"

"June didn't know I was coming. She has no more idea than the dead
that we have ever met before. I haven't told her, and I don't suppose
you have--or will," he added grimly. "However, as we are alone, will
you tell me what I've done to offend you? It's not fair to take me for
a friend and then fling me over as if I were an old glove.... If I've
annoyed you, the least you can do is to tell me how and give me a
chance to explain."

Esther had walked back to the fire and Mellowes followed her. He knew
that he had only got a few moments, and he meant to make the most of
them.

"You refuse to see me or to allow me to take you out," he went on
urgently. "And you haven't even answered my last letter. If I have
offended you----"

"You haven't," said Esther, as he paused. "I'm not at all offended."

"Then why, in the name of all that's holy----" he began again, in
exasperation. She cut him short.

"You didn't tell me the truth about yourself. You made out you were
poor! You pretended to be some one quite different to what you are.
You've a perfect right to, I suppose, if you wish, but I hate being
deceived and treated like that. I suppose you think anything is good
enough for me! Perhaps it is, but----"

Micky brought his fist down with a bang on the back of the big
armchair.

"I give you my word of honour, Miss Shepstone, that what I said was
only because it seemed the best way to make you trust me. I had
absolutely no other reason for pretending to--to--be anything but what
I am. I know you'd have gone off at a tangent if I'd said I was
unfortunate enough to be rich, I know----"

She shrugged her shoulders.

"You didn't even write to me from your real address--you just put a
number." She broke into an angry little laugh. "I suppose you thought
I shouldn't understand that a number can also be an expensive flat."

Micky turned pale with anger.

"You're deliberately trying to make out that