.." he said, in a queer, choked sort of voice.

She turned with a stifled scream, and a most unwilling relief swept
her face.

"Oh, Micky!" she said breathlessly. She put out her hand as if to grip
his arm, then drew it away, moving back.

"How did you come here ... oh, how dare you follow me...?" she said
passionately.

Micky took her arm very gently.

"We found your note," he said. "I had to come ... June said...." Then
suddenly his calmness broke "Oh, thank God I found you--thank God!" he
said hoarsely.

CHAPTER XXVIII

Esther seemed arrested by the emotion in Micky's voice.

She stood looking up at him with wide eyes and parted lips, then
suddenly she broke out again--

"I don't know what you mean. I'll never forgive June if she sent you
after me. I'm going to Paris. I'm not a child to be followed and
looked after like this.... Let me go."

Micky released her arm at once. When he spoke his voice was quiet and
rather stern.

"Please don't make a scene. I have followed you for your own sake. I
know I can't stop you from going to Paris. I'm not going to try. All I
do ask you is that you will let me speak to you. If what I have to say
is useless, I give you my word of honour that I will leave you here
and let you go on to Paris alone."

She looked at him with stormy eyes.

"I don't believe it--it isn't the first time you've lied to me...."
she broke off breathlessly. Micky turned pale, but he answered evenly
enough--

"You're quite justified in saying that; I'm not going to try and deny
it. But we can't stand here all night--people are beginning to stare
at us...."

"I don't care----" but she dropped her voice a little, and when Micky
made a slight movement forward she followed.

It was cold on the quay--there was a fresh wind blowing, and Esther
shivered.

"There's a restaurant place here," Micky said. "I want a meal if you
don't; I haven't had anything since breakfast."

He found a table and ordered a meal, but he knew he should not be able
to eat a thing.

"I don't want anything to eat," Esther said. She sat sideways in her
chair away from the table; there was a pitiable look of strain in her
face; she still gripped her suit-case tightly. When Micky asked her to
be allowed to put it down for her she turned on him almost fiercely.

"Leave me alone--oh, leave me alone!"

The French garcon eyed them both interestedly. Any one far less keen
of perception than he was could have seen t