Frank turned to her politely.
"Yes, very nice, considering," he said.
"Have you been alone all the time?" pursued Jill, conscious of a social success.
"Well, no," said Frank. "I was traveling with a ... well, with a man who was an officer in the army. He was a major."
"And did you—"
"That's enough, Jill," said her mother decidedly. "Don't bother Mr. Guiseley. He's tired with his walk."
The two young men sat quiet for a minute or two after the ladies had left the room. Then Jack spoke.
"Well?" he said.
Frank looked up. There was an odd, patient kind of look in his eyes that touched Jack a good deal. Frank had not been distinguished for submissiveness hitherto.
"Oh! a bit later, if you don't mind," he said. "We can talk in the smoking-room."