She carried her head loftily as she bore another gown into the adjoining darkness, and Miriam waited patiently till she emerged again.
"Does your other—I hardly know what to call him—does your other fiancé know about Billy?"
"Why on earth should he? What good would that do? It will be all over—I mean about Billy—before I announce my second engagement, and as the one to Billy will never be announced at all there's no use in saying anything about it."
"But suppose Billy himself finds out?"
"Billy won't find out anything whatever until I get ready to let him."
The finality of this retort reduced Miriam to silence. She allowed some minutes to pass before saying, with some hesitation:
"I suppose you don't mind my knowing—who it is?"
Evie was prepared for this question and answered it promptly.
"I shan't mind your knowing—by-and-by. I want you to meet him first. When you've once seen him, I know you'll be more just to me. Till then I'm willing to go on being—misunderstood."