he would certainly not know her, for he had no eyes for anything save
the lovely cold face of the girl before him.

"Oh, Joan," she said, "there is one of those bags I have been wanting to
get for a long time past. Excuse me, Joan dear, will you?" And Helen
made hurriedly to a shop hard by, leaving them together.

Joan felt angry with herself now it was too late. She ought to have
given him the coldest of cold bows and then ignored him; but she had
been weak, and she had spoken, and now Helen had deserted her.

"I will say good-bye, Mr. Alston, and go after my friend."

"No, wait--wait. I want to speak to you, to thank you."

"To thank me?" She lifted her eyebrows. "For what?"

"For speaking to me."

"That sounds very humble, doesn't it?" She laughed sharply.

"I am very humble to you, Joan!"

"Mr. Alston, do you realise that I am very angry with myself?" she said
coldly. "I acted on a foolish impulse. I ought not to have spoken to
you."

"You acted on a generous impulse, that is natural to you. Now you are
pretending one that is unworthy of you, Joan."