“I was looking at this charming wing. It is very chaste in design.”

“Do you think so?”

“Yes I do, indeed,” he observed looking intently at the ornament on one of her fingers. “I admire it immensely, even as I do its wearer.”

Miss Lovejoyce looked down at the tesselated pavement of the conservatory, but she made no reply.

“I’m going to beg a favour of you,” said he, after a pause.

“A favour?”

“Yes. Will you grant it?”

“I must first know what it is.”

“But you would not wefuse me?”

“That depends.”