"Would you have recognized me, Philip?" she asked.
He was far more nervous than she was, and he stumbled a good deal over Mr. Mathers's questions.
"I'll tell him you're too busy now to answer," said Miss Johnstone at last in a cheerful voice.
This was a happy solution of the problem of Ts and Tch, and Philip gratefully accepted it.
"And I dare say I might find time to help him with the transpositions, if you're very anxious to get them done."
"Oh, will you? Yes, thank you, that would be excellent."
Miss Johnstone turned to leave the room; one of her necklaces broke under the strain of continuous plaiting, and a number of tiny green shells peppered the floor.
"There, that's the third time it's done that to-day," she exclaimed. "I'm so sorry."
Sylvia, Philip, and she gathered up as many as were not trodden upon in the search, and at last Miss Johnstone managed to get out of the room.
"No wonder you're worn out," said Sylvia, with a smile. It seemed quite natural to comment rather intimately like this upon Philip's health. "But you haven't answered my question. Would you have recognized me?"