"Don't say everything now," she protested, forcing a smile, "otherwise what excuse will you have for coming again?"
"Well—I wished to— See here, Ailsa, will you let me speak about the practical part of our future when I come next time?"
For a moment she could, not bring herself to the deception; but the memory of Berkley rendered her desperate.
"Yes—if you will bring back to Miss Lynden her trooper friend when you come again. Will you?"
"Who? Oh, Ormond. Yes, of course, if she wishes——"
But she could not endure her own dishonesty any longer.
"Captain Hallam," she said with stiffened lips, "I—I have just lied to you. It is not for Miss Lynden that I asked; it is for myself!"
He looked at her in a stunned sort of way. She said, forcing herself to meet his eyes:
"Trooper Ormond is your escort; don't you understand? I desire to see him again, because I knew him in New York."
"Oh," said Hallam slowly.