She hesitated. Lane watched her anxiously. He felt, somehow, that a great deal depended upon her reply. Presently, with the slightest possible shrug of the shoulders, she turned around and suffered him to walk by her side to the little antechamber which divided the gambling rooms from the restaurant.
"Very well," she decided, "I suppose, after all, one must remember that you did save us from a great deal of inconvenience the other night. I will talk to you for a few minutes."
He found her an easy-chair and he sat by her side.
"This is bully," he declared.
"Is what?" she asked, once more raising her eyebrows.
"American slang," he explained penitently. "I am sorry. I meant that it was very pleasant to be here alone with you for a few minutes."
"You may not find it so, after all," she said severely. "I feel that I have a duty to perform."
"Well, don't let's bother about that yet, if it means a lecture," he begged. "You shall tell me how much better the young women of your country behave than the young women of mine."
"Thank you," she replied, "I am never interested in the doings of a democracy. Your country makes no appeal to me at all."
"Come," he protested, "that's a little too bad. Why, Russia may be a democracy some day, you know. You very nearly had a republic foisted upon you after the Japanese war."