How the time has flown. I shall
have to be going home."

He noticed preparations for a move at the Wangle table.

"Oh, please, don't hurry! Let's go upstairs and sit and smoke for a
little time."

"Do you think I ought," enquired Patricia critically, her head on one
side.

"Well," replied Bowen, "I think that you might safely do so as we are
engaged," and that settled it.

They went upstairs, and it was a quarter to eleven before Patricia
finally decided that she must make a move.

"Do you know," she said as she rose, "I am afraid I have enjoyed this
most awfully; but oh! to-morrow morning."

"Shall you be tired?" he enquired.

"Tired!" she queried, "I shall be hot with shame. I shall not dare to
look at myself in the glass. I--I shall give myself a most awful time.
For days I shall live in torture. You see I'm excited now
and--and--you seem so nice, and you've been so awfully kind; but when I
get alone, then I shall start wondering what was in your mind, what you
have been thinking of me, and--and--oh! it will be awful. No; I'll
come with you while you get your hat. I daren't be left alone. It
might come on then and--and I should probably bolt. Of course I shall
have to ask you to see me home, if you will, because--because----"

"I'm your fiance," he smiled.

"Ummm," she nodded.

Both were silent as they sped along westward in the taxi, neither
seeming to wish to break the spell.

"Thinking?" enquired Bowen at length, as they passed the Marble Arch.

"I was thinking how perfectly sweet you've been," replied Patricia
gravely. "You have understood everything and--and--you see I was so
much at your mercy. Shall I tell you what I was thinking?"

"Please do."

"It sounds horribly sentimental."

"Never mind," he replied.

"Well, I was thinking that your mother would like to know that you had
done what you have done to-night. And now, please, tell me how much my
dinner was."

"Your dinner!"

"Yes, _ple-e-e-e-ase_," she emphasised the "please."

"You insist?"

And then Patricia did a strange thing. She placed her hand upon
Bowen's and pressed it.

"Please go on understanding," she said, and he told her how much the
dinner was and took the money from her.

"May I pay for the taxi?" he enquired comically.

For a moment she paused and then replied, "Yes, I think you may do
that, and now here we are," as the taxi drew up, "and thank you very
much indeed, and good-bye." They were stan