done
several times before; but he wisely kept his thoughts to himself. They
accordingly crossed the road and entered the Gardens by the Broad Walk.
Passing the Omphale by Eude and the statue of AEneas bearing Anchises
through the flames of Troy, they entered one of the small groves on the
right, and seated themselves upon two chairs they found there. An
awkward silence followed, during which Katherine looked away in the
direction they had come, while Browne, his elbows on his knees, dug
viciously into the path with the point of his umbrella, as if he would
probe his way down to the nether regions before he would let her get an
inkling of his embarrassment. Three children with their attendant
_bonnes_ passed them while they were so occupied, and one small toddler
of four or five stopped and regarded the silent couple before him.
Katherine smiled at the child's chubby, earnest face, and Browne took
this as a sign that the ice was breaking, though not so quickly as he
could have wished.

"I am afraid you are angry with me," he said, after the child had
passed on his way again and they were left to each other's company.
"How have I been unfortunate enough to offend you?"

"I do not know that you have offended me at all," the girl replied,
still looking away from him. "After all your kindness to me, I should
be very ungrateful if I were to treat you so."

"But there can be no doubt you _are_ offended," Browne replied. "I
could see from the expression on your face, when I met you on the
boulevard just now, that you were annoyed with me for being there."

"I must confess I was surprised," she answered; "still, I certainly did
not wish you to think I was annoyed."

Browne thereupon took fresh heart, and resolved upon a bold plunge.
"But you were not pleased?" he said, and as he said it he watched her
to see what effect his words produced. She still kept her face turned
away. "Don't you think it was a little unkind of you to leave London
so suddenly without either saying good-bye or giving the least warning
of your intentions?" he continued, his spirits rising with every word
he uttered.

"I was not certain that we were to leave so soon," the girl replied.
"It was not until yesterday morning that we found it would be necessary
for us to set off at once. But how did you know that we _had_ left?"

Browne fell into the trap unheedingly.

"Because I called at your lodgings an hour after you had left, in the
hope of