CHAPTER IV. GINGER IN DANGEROUS MOOD Some few days later, owing to the fact that the latter, being preoccupied, did not see him first, Bruce Carmyle met his cousin Lancelot in Piccadilly. They had returned by different routes from Roville, and Ginger would have preferred the separation to continue. He was 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 man who has allowed himself to be lured on to the platform and is accepting a card from the conjurer. He felt bewildered. In all the years of their acquaintance he could not recall another such exhibition of geniality on his cousin's part. He was surprised, indeed, at Mr. Carmyle's speaking to 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 were staying at the club. By the way, thank you for introducing me to Miss Nicholas.” Ginger started violently. “What!” “I was in that compartment, you know, at Roville Station. You threw her right on top of me. We agreed to consider that an introduction. An attractive girl.” Bruce Carmyle had not entirely made up his mind regarding Sally, but on one point he was clear, that she should not, if he could help it, pass out of his life. Her abrupt departure had left him with that baffled and dissatisfied feeling which, though it has little in common with love at first sight, frequently produces the same effects. She had had, he could not disguise it from himself, the better of their late encounter and he was conscious of a desire to meet her again and show her that there was more in him than she apparently supposed. Bruce Carmyle, in a word, was piqued: and, though he could not quite decide whether he liked or disliked Sally, he was very sure that a future without her would have an 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 address resembled somewhat that of a connoisseur who has acquired a unique work of 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 to read...” “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 to be, I mean.” “Well, these particular books are not,” said Mr. Carmyle shortly. He was finding Ginger's reserve a little trying, and wished that he had been more inventive. “Give them to me and I'll send them to her,” suggested Ginger.