'personally conducted' tour. Are you very busy?"

He flushed again and looked at her, this time with a veiled suspicion
in his glance. She met it with such calm appreciation that it changed
to one of surprised doubt. She knew perfectly what was passing in his
mind, and it caused her no more concern than the puzzled silence of a
child who has heard a new word. She went on as complacently as if he
were the little boy who had walked beside her a few moments before.

"In Paris and London," she remarked, "one can engage a guide, a
gentleman, for a day at a fixed price. Probably there are such guides
here in New York, if I knew where they were to be found and had the
time to look for them. You are much younger than I am. You might
almost be my son! Moreover, you will not mind my saying that I fancied
you were unemployed and possibly were looking for employment. You can
hardly help seeing the definite connection in all this."

His eyes met hers for a moment and then dropped. He blushed boyishly.

"I see you're trying to help me," he murmured, apologetically.

She went on as if she had not heard him.

"Let me employ you for the day. I need amusement, interest,
occupation--more than you can imagine. I am in the same mood, as far
as desolation and discouragement go, that you are in. I must be about,
seeing people and diverting my mind. We can each supply the other with
one thing that we need. I have money. To earn a little of that
professionally, by a humane service, should really appeal to you."