"Oh, take your time about it," said Newman. "Do them at your
convenience."

They walked farther and looked at a dozen other things. Newman pointed
out what pleased him, and Mademoiselle Noemie generally criticised it,
and proposed something else. Then suddenly she diverged and began to
talk about some personal matter.

"What made you speak to me the other day in the Salon Carre?" she
abruptly asked.

"I admired your picture."

"But you hesitated a long time."

"Oh, I do nothing rashly," said Newman.

"Yes, I saw you watching me. But I never supposed you were going to
speak to me. I never dreamed I should be walking about here with you
to-day. It's very curious."

"It is very natural," observed Newman.

"Oh, I beg your pardon; not to me. Coquette as you think me, I have
never walked about in public with a gentleman before. What was my father
thinking of, when he consented to our interview?"

"He was repenting of his unjust accusations," replied Newman.