Then she turned and faced him on the pavement. Again she looked at him
shyly, and there were little dimples in her cheeks as she tried hard
not to smile.

"I knew I'd get into trouble when I loaded myself down with all these
bundles," she explained, reaching out for them.

Confidence was returning to him. He felt the old lazy relaxation of
being amused.

"Can't I help you out of your difficulty--see that you get safely home
with them?" he asked quietly. "I've my car here."

She raised her eyebrows, looked startled a moment, and then flushed
slightly. "Oh, don't bother. I can get a taxi."

She made no further resistance and directly he was slamming the door
behind her. He had caught a glimpse of black-silk stocking above a
white buckskin pump that somehow disturbed his poise. As he walked
around to the other side of the car he was wondering where it was he
had seen her before. He could not remember.

He climbed into his place behind the steering wheel and observed her
again. It was a setting that became her. Her shyness seemed to have
all vanished. She was powdering her nose as he climbed in; a silver
vanity case lay open on her lap. He noticed it, saw a hairpin and two
nickles and a card or two. She had said she might take a taxi.

Directly she was smiling into his eyes. It made him just a little bit
giddy in spite of himself. How old was she, he wondered? For a moment
he busied himself with the car. There was nothing made up about her;
it was a clear case of good looks. And she knew how to wear her
clothes.

"I think I'm terrible," she was saying.

"How?" he answered, hardly hearing her.

"Letting you take me up this way." She finished her renovation to her
evident satisfaction and packed away the puff with a snap.

"You couldn't expect to manage those bundles any other way," he
assured confidently and quietly. It was an amusing game.

She gazed off toward the corner and wetted her lips.

He started the car. They turned the corner into Fourth Street and
moved south. As if sensing the need of further explanation here on the
esplanade, where all seemed acquainted, she began in a slightly more
animated tone:

"Of course, it's not like we had never met."

He felt she was looking at him, but being busy with the car he was
silent.

"I really believe you've forgotten."

He caught a glance at her. She looked charmingly provoked. The fact
that she was centring her attention on him was in itself flatterin