using him as a screen. Once
round the corner of the house, I let him go; but I dared not wait to
chaffer. "Remember, it's a bargain," I reminded the fellow. "While you
keep to your part I keep to mine, and not a moment longer." With this I
darted into one of the waiting cabs. That was a narrow shave, but I
congratulated myself that I had come out of it "on top," joyful in the
hope that I should snatch Miss Randolph away in a day or two, and the
episode would be closed. But mice and men should go slow in
self-congratulation. Even a confirmed liar occasionally tells the truth
by mistake. Next day (which means to-day) I learned this through bitter
experience. Nothing had happened, and when I presented myself to Miss
Randolph in the morning for orders, her manner was so pleasant, so
exactly the same as usual, that I made sure Mr. Payne had chosen the
better part of valour and held his peace. Evening came, however; my
mistress sent for me, as I was informed through the invaluable
hall-porter. Coward conscience, or some other intricate internal organ,
gave a twinge. I asked myself blankly if I had been betrayed, if I were
in for a scolding, if I should have to choose between being
ignominiously chucked out of my precious berth, or prematurely owning up
to the trick I have played, with the consequent risk of losing my lady
forever. I felt pretty sick as I went up the servants' stairs to Miss
Randolph's floor at the "Gassisn" and knocked at the door of her private
sitting-room.

The door was on the latch, and as I tapped I heard Aunt Mary exclaim in
a tone of extreme scorn, "Ask him '_if he objects_,' indeed! One would
think _you_ were the servant and he the master. You shall do nothing of
the kind."

My knocking evidently cut short the argument. Miss Randolph called "Come
in!" and I obeyed, all black leather and humility. I hardly raised my
eyes to the ladies, yet I saw that She was looking adorable in a white
dress, with nothing but sparkling lacey stuff over the loveliest neck
and arms on earth. She smiled, so I hoped that my sin had not found me
out, but it was not precisely one of her own frank, starry smiles;
there was something new and constrained, and my heart still misgave me.

"Brown," said she (and I observed that Aunt Mary had fixed her with a
threatening eye), "Brown, I thought I'd send for you to say that we'll
have another passenger to-morrow for a few days. Or that is we may have
to ask him to drive sometimes