"I'm sure I—I hadn't the slightest idea how late it was," said the girl stiffly, fingering at her hair.
"Time passes so quickly when one is amused or interested," I said.
"I was thinking, Roger, how nice it would be if Una would come to dinner at the Manor."
"Oh, no, thanks—not now. I must be going."
"Couldn't you? I'll show you my specimens. Then we could send you on in the machine afterwards."
"No—no, thanks."
"Doubtless the friends of Miss—er—Miss Smith will be worried about her."
She shot a malevolent glance at me.
"Not at all. I'm accustomed to doing exactly as I please."
"But I couldn't think of letting you go through the forest alone. It's fully half a mile beyond the wall to the highroad."