“Yes, alone.”

“You haven’t had dinner?”

“No.”

He seemed to be in rather a gloomy mood, but Monica noticed nothing that alarmed her. He was drawing nearer, his eyes on the ground.

“Have you had bad news—in the City?”

“Yes, I have.”

Still he came nearer, and at length, when a yard or two away, raised his look to her face.

“Have you been out this afternoon?”

She was prompted to a falsehood, but durst not utter it, so keenly was he regarding her.

“Yes, I went to see Miss Barfoot.”