Pamela walked along the passage and knocked at Millicent's door, saying who she was. Millicent opened the door, and received her friend with some constraint.
"Can I come in?" said Pamela.
"Of course," said Millie.
They sat opposite to one another on each side of the fire.
"I wanted to see you before I went to bed," said Pamela. "You have not told me lately in your letters how Tony is getting on."
Millie raised her hand to shield her face from the blaze of the fire. She happened to shade it also from the eyes of Pamela; and she made no reply.
"Is he still in New York?" Pamela asked; and then Millie replied.
"I do not know," she answered slowly. She let her hand fall, and looked straight and defiantly at her friend.
"I have not heard from him for a long while," she added; and as she spoke there crept into her face a look of disdain.