"I am aware that the seeming anomaly of my conduct entitles you to think the worst of me."
"Seeming anomaly!" She laughed contemptuously. "Pray, sir, permit me to lead the way--to the back door."
She strode off, with her head in the air; he came after, with a brow as black as night. At the back door they paused.
"I thank you for having afforded me shelter, and apologise for having sought it."
She looked him up and down, as if she were endeavouring, by mere force of visual inspection, to make out what kind of a man he was.
"I want to ask you a question. Answer it truthfully, if you can. Is the man in front a policeman?"
He started with what seemed genuine surprise.
"A policeman! Good heavens, no."
"Are you sure?"
"Of course I'm sure. He's very far from being a policeman--rather, if anything, the other way." What he meant to infer, she did not know; but he laughed shortly, "What makes you ask such a thing?"