"Pardon me, Miss Bartlett," said Carshaw. "Ah, you see I know your name better than you know mine. Mine is Carshaw--Rex Carshaw, if I may introduce myself. I have this moment tapped at your door, in the hope of seeing you." "Why so?" asked Winifred. "Do you wish to forget the incident of yesterday evening?" "No; hence my stopping to hear what you have to say." "Well, then, I am here to see to the repairing of my car--not in the hope of seeing _you_, you know"--Carshaw said this with a twinkle in his eye; "though, perhaps, if the truth were known, a little in that hope, too. Then, there at the corner, I find the very man who molested you last night looking at your house, and this spurred me to knock in order to ask a favor. Was I wrong?" "What favor, sir?" "That, if ever you have the least cause to be displeased with the conduct of that man in the future, you will consider it as _my_ business, and as an insult offered to _me_--as it will be after the trouble of last night--and that you will let me know of the matter by letter. Here is my address." Winifred hesitated, then took the proffered card. "But--" she faltered. "No; promise me that. It really is my business now, you know." "I cannot write to you. I--don't--know you." "Then I shall only have to stand sentinel a certain number of hours every day before your house, to see that all goes well. You can't prevent me doing that, can you? The streets are free to everybody." "You are only making fun." "That I am not. See how stern and solemn I look. I shall stand sentinel and gaze up at your window on the chance of seeing your face. Will you show yourself sometimes to comfort me?" "No." "I'm sure you will." "I'd better promise to write the letter--" "There now, that's a point for me!" "Oh, don't make me laugh." "Point number two--for you have been crying, Miss Winifred!" "I?" "Yes, I'm sorry to say. Oh, I only wish--" "How do you know my name?" "What, the 'Winifred' and the 'Bartlett?' Winifred was always one of my favorite names for a girl, and you look the name all through. Well, Fowle and I were taken to the station-house last night, and in the course of the inquiry I heard your name, of course." "Did they do anything to you for knocking down Mr. Fowle?" "No, no. Of course, they didn't do anything to me. In fact, they seemed rather pleased. Were you anxious, then, about me?" "I was naturally anxious, since it was I who--" "Ah, now, don't spoil it by giving a reason. You were anxious, that is enough; let me be proud, as a recompense. And now I want to ask you two favors, one of them a great favor. The first is to tell me all you know about this Fowle. And the second--why you look so sad and have been crying. May we walk on a little way together, and then you will tell me?"