ironical formality; and her outstretched hand fell away from his with
indifference.

"I didn't have the happiness of riding with you, after all," he said,
serenely seating himself and dropping one lank knee over the other.
"Promises wouldn't be valuable unless somebody broke a lot now and
then."

"You probably had the happiness of riding with some other woman."

He nodded.

"Who, this time?"

"Rosalie Dysart."

Rumour had been busy with their names recently. The girl's face became
expressionless.

"Sorry you didn't come," he said, looking out of the window where the
flapping shade revealed a lilac in bloom.

"How long did you wait for me?"

"About a minute. Then Rosalie passed----"

"Rosalies will always continue to pass through your career, my
omnivorous friend.... Did it even occur to you to ride over here and
find out why I missed our appointment?"