le back in Texas that you
showed any interest in kings and such--if you will show just a little.
Otherwise I'll spread the awful news that you took off your hat when
King George went by."

The statesman smiled. West felt that he, who had no business to, was
smiling with him.

The waiter returned, bringing grapefruit, and the strawberries West had
ordered. Without another look toward West, the girl put down her paper
and began her breakfasting. As often as he dared, however, West looked
at her. With patriotic pride he told himself: "Six months in Europe, and
the most beautiful thing I've seen comes from back home!"

When he rose reluctantly twenty minutes later his two compatriots were
still at table, discussing their plans for the day. As is usual in such
cases, the girl arranged, the man agreed.

With one last glance in her direction, West went out on the parched
pavement of Haymarket.

Slowly he walked back to his rooms. Work was waiting there for him;
but instead of getting down to it, he sat on the balcony of his study,
gazing out on the courtyard that had been his chief reason for selecting
those apartments. Here, in the heart of the city, was a bit of the
countryside transported--the green, trim, neatly tailored countryside
that is the most satisfying thing in England. There were walls on which
the ivy climbed high, narrow paths that ran between blooming beds of
flowers, and opposite his windows a seldom-opened, most romantic gate.
As he sat looking down he seemed to see there below him the girl of the
Carlton. Now she sat on the rustic bench; now she bent above the envious
flowers; now she stood at the gate that opened out to a hot sudden bit
of the city.

And as he watched her there in the garden she would never enter, as he
reflected unhappily that probably he would see her no more--the idea
came to him.

At first he put it from him as absurd, impossible. She was, to apply a
fine word much abused, a lady; he supposedly a gentleman. Their sort
did not do such things. If he yielded to this temptation she would be
shocked, angry, and from him would slip that one chance in a thousand he
had--the chance of meeting her somewhere, some day.

And yet--and yet--She, too, had found the Agony Column entertaining
and--quite nice. There was a twinkle in her eyes that bespoke a fondness
for romance. She was human, fun-loving--and, above all, the joy of youth
was in her heart.

Nonsense! West went inside and walke