Page:The Other House (London, William Heinemann, 1896), Volume 1.djvu/31

Rh " I think then it will be the only thing in this love of an old place that I shan't have liked."

Rose Armiger for a moment rested her eyes on her visitor, who was more and more conscious that she was strange and yet not, as Jean had always supposed strange people to be, disagreeable. "Do you like me?" she unexpectedly inquired.

"How can I tell—at the end of three minutes?"

"I can tell—at the end of one! You must try to like me—you must be very kind to me," Miss Armiger declared. Then she added: "Do you like Mr. Bream?"

Jean considered; she felt that she must rise to the occasion. "Oh, immensely!" At this her interlocutress laughed again, and it made her continue with more reserve: "Of course I only saw him for five minutes—yesterday at the Bank."

"Oh, we know how long you saw him!" Miss Armiger exclaimed. "He has told us all about your visit."

Jean was slightly awe-stricken: this picture seemed to include so many people. "Whom has he told?"

Her companion had the air of being amused at everything she said; but for Jean it was an air,