'I never send postcards,' said Lyon.
'Oh well, I should value a private letter! Anything to Miss Geraldine, Mortimer Terrace Mews, Notting 'ill——'
'Very good; I'll remember,' said Lyon.
Miss Geraldine lingered. 'I thought I'd just stop, on the chance.'
'I'm afraid I can't hold out hopes, I'm so busy with portraits,' Lyon continued.
'Yes; I see you are. I wish I was in the gentleman's place.'
'I'm afraid in that case it wouldn't look like me,' said the Colonel, laughing.
'Oh, of course it couldn't compare—it wouldn't be so 'andsome! But I do hate them portraits!' Miss Geraldine declared. 'It's so much bread out of our mouths.'
'Well, there are many who can't paint them,' Lyon suggested, comfortingly.