"_Achetez des fleurs, monsieur, pour la jolie dame?_"

Down went Jefferson's hand in his pocket and, filling the child's
hand with small silver, he flung the flowers in the carriage. Then
he turned inquiringly to Shirley for instructions so he could
direct the _cocher_. Mrs. Blake said she would get out here. Her
dressmaker was close by, in the Rue Auber, and she would walk back
to the hotel to meet them at seven o'clock. Jefferson assisted her
to alight and escorted her as far as the _porte-cochère_ of the
modiste's, a couple of doors away. When he returned to the
carriage, Shirley had already told the coachman where to go. He
got in and the _fiacre_ started.

"Now," said Shirley, "tell me what you have been doing with
yourself all day."

Jefferson was busily arranging the faded carriage rug about
Shirley, spending more time in the task perhaps than was
absolutely necessary, and she had to repeat the question.

"Doing?" he echoed with a smile, "I've been doing two
things--waiting impatiently for seven o'clock and incidentally
reading the notices of your book."



CHAPTER IV


"Tell me, what do the papers say?"