"Barbarous behavior!" he said. "Rank cruelty, no less. Do you know you're three and a half minutes behind time?"
Decidedly he was getting out of hand. Dorothea retreated a pace or two, and wound her arm round the stem of the cross as if for support.
"I—I wanted to speak to you for a moment—"
"So you said; on business, wasn't it? I'm all attention. You don't look much like business to-night, do you know?"
"I can't say anything if you look at me like that!" cried Dorothea in a rush. Gardiner laughed and cast down his eyes. "No, please, if you'd turn right away—I shall never get it out to your face—"
"Señorita, if the moon doesn't desire to be looked at, she shouldn't appear in silver," said Gardiner, complying. "That suit? Now, what's the trouble?"
"It's a little difficult to explain." It was; her breath came fluttering and her voice shook. "You must be patient with me if I say it wrong." ("Patient! I'll be something besides patient," Gardiner murmured.) "It's—well, it's just this. Have you—do you remember ever seeing my maid before?"
There was an instant change in the atmosphere.
"Your maid? That gaunt female who looks like the Nonconformist conscience? I might have. Why?"
"She says she's seen you."