Some few days later, owing to the fact that the latter, beingpreoccupied, did not see him first, Bruce Carmyle met his cousinLancelot in Piccadilly. They had returned by different routes fromRoville, and Ginger would have preferred the separation to continue. Hewas hurrying on with a nod, when Carmyle stopped him.

　　"Just the man I wanted to see," he observed.

　　"Oh, hullo!" said Ginger, without joy.

　　"I was thinking of calling at your club.""Yes?""Yes. Cigarette?"Ginger peered at the proffered case with the vague suspicion of the manwho has allowed himself to be lured on to the platform and is acceptinga card from the conjurer. He felt bewildered. In all the years of theiracquaintance he could not recall another such exhibition of geniality onhis cousin's part. He was surprised, indeed, at Mr. Carmyle's speakingto him at all, for the affaire Scrymgeour remained an un-healed wound,and the Family, Ginger knew, were even now in session upon it.

　　"Been back in London long?""Day or two.""I heard quite by accident that you had returned and that you werestaying at the club. By the way, thank you for introducing me to MissNicholas."Ginger started violently.

　　"What!""I was in that compartment, you know, at Roville Station. You threw herright on top of me. We agreed to consider that an introduction. Anattractive girl."Bruce Carmyle had not entirely made up his mind regarding Sally, but onone point he was clear, that she should not, if he could help it, passout of his life. Her abrupt departure had left him with that baffled anddissatisfied feeling which, though it has little in common with love atfirst sight, frequently produces the same effects. She had had, hecould not disguise it from himself, the better of their late encounterand he was conscious of a desire to meet her again and show her thatthere was more in him than she apparently supposed. Bruce Carmyle, in aword, was piqued: and, though he could not quite decide whether he likedor disliked Sally, he was very sure that a future without her would havean element of flatness.

　　"A very attractive girl. We had a very pleasant talk.""I bet you did," said Ginger enviously.

　　"By the way, she did not give you her address by any chance?""Why?" said Ginger suspiciously. His attitude towards Sally's addressresembled somewhat that of a connoisseur who has acquired a unique workof art. He wanted to keep it to himself and gloat over it.

　　"Well, I--er--I promised to send her some books she was anxious toread...""I shouldn't think she gets much time for reading.""Books which are not published in America.""Oh, pretty nearly everything is published in America, what? Bound tobe, I mean.""Well, these particular books are not," said Mr. Carmyle shortly. Hewas finding Ginger's reserve a little trying, and wished that he hadbeen more inventive.