them.

"Do, Mr. Leith, if you have the time," said Mrs. Clarke, but without any
pressure.

"The strawberry they have is ripping, I can tell you!" cried Jimmy, with
ardor.

But Dion refused. Till he was certain of Rosamund's attitude he felt he
simply couldn't accept Mrs. Clarke's hospitality. He was obliged to get
home that day. Mrs. Clarke did not ask why, but Jimmy did, and had to
be put off with an evasion, the usual mysterious "business," which, of
course, a small boy couldn't dive into and explore.

Dion thought Mrs. Clarke was going to say good-by without any mention of
Rosamund, but when they reached Claridge's she said:

"Your wife and I didn't decide on a day for the Turkish songs. You
remember I mentioned them to you the other night? I can't recollect
whether she left it to me to fix a time, or whether I left it to her.
Can you find out? Do tell her I was stupid and forgot. Will you?"

Dion said he would.

"I think they'll interest her. Now, Jimmy!"

But Jimmy hung on his god.

"I say, you'll come again now! You promise!"

What could Dion do?

"You put your honor into it?" pursued Jimmy, with desperate earnestness.
"You swear?"

"If I swear in the open street the police will take me up," said Dion
jokingly.

"Not they! One from the shoulder from you and I bet they lose enough
claret to fill a bucket. You've given your honor, hasn't he, mater?"

"Of course we shall see him again," said Mrs. Clarke, staring at Dion.

"What curious eyes she has!" Dion thought, as he walked homeward.

Did they ever entirely lose their under-look of distress?

CHAPTER IX

That evening Dion told Rosamund what Mrs. Clarke had said when he parted
from her at Claridge's.

"I promised her I'd find out which it was," he added. "Do you remember
what was said?"

After a minute of silence, during which Rosamund seemed to be
considering something, she answered:

"Yes, I do."

"Which was it?"

"Neither, Dion. Mrs. Clarke has made a mistake. She certainly spoke of
some Turkish songs for me, but there was never any question of fixing a
day for us to try them over together."

"She thinks there was."

"It's difficult to remember exactly what is said, or not said, in the
midst of a crowd."

"But you remember?"

"Yes."

"Then you'd rather not try them over?"

"After what you've told me about Constantinople I expect I should be
quite out of sympathy with Turkish music," she answered, lightly and
smilin