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324 he said, making an attempt to joke, but in obvious astonishment.

She looked at him; and he was struck with her confusion.

"Don't be angry," she said, frankly, "but I was startled at seeing you."

"I was not welcome," he said, roughly. "Forgive me, mevrouw. I ought not to have come after you. But I'm a tactless beggar in these matters. I am not one of your society-men."

"Don't be angry," she repeated, almost entreatingly. "Society indeed! I certainly showed myself no society-woman . . . to . . . unexpectedly to . . ."

She did not know what she wanted to say.

"To turn your back on me," he said, completing the sentence.

"To turn my back on you," she repeated.

"Well, now that I have said good-morning . . ."

He lifted his hat, moved as though to go back.

"Stay!" she entreated. "Walk a little way with me. Now that I happen to have met you . . ."

"I came back yesterday . . . I meant to call on you to-day or to-morrow . . ."

"Walk with me," she said, almost entreatingly. "I want to speak to you . . ."

"What about?"

"I suggested to Henri . . ."

She drew a deep breath; there were people