"So you think because I have a long face and wild hair that I am a sinister person? My dear Miss Gilsey, the most desperate character I ever knew was five feet high and wore mutton-chop whiskers. It is an uncertain business judging men by their appearance." She could not help smiling. "But most people do." "I don't class you with most people." She gave him a quick look. "You _did_ the first night." "Possibly--but less and less ever since. You have me now in the state of mind where I don't know what you'll be at next." This was fortunate, she thought, since she had not the least idea herself, beyond a teasing desire to find out more about him. He had shown her many fleeting phases which, put together, seemed contradictory. She could not connect this man, so mild and amusing, strolling beside her, with the alert, whetted, combative person of the night before, or even with the aloof and reticent figure on the parade-ground. His very attitude toward herself had changed from the amused scrutiny of the first night into something more indulgent, more sympathetic. There was only one attitude on his part that had remained the same--one attitude toward one person--and her mind hovered over this. On each occasion it had stirred her curiosity and, though she had not admitted it, made her uneasy. Why not probe him on the subject, now that she had him completely to herself? But as soon as silence fell between them she saw that wave of preoccupation which had submerged him during their walk from the parade-ground to the Purdies' rising over him again and floating him away from her. He no longer even looked at her. His eyes were on the ground, and it was not until they had crossed the open expanse of the shallow valley and were climbing toward the avenue of cypress that she found courage to put her question. "Have you and Mr. Cressy met before?" He raised his head with a jerk and looked at her a moment in astonishment. "Do you mind if I answer your question American fashion by asking another?" he said presently. "What put it into your head that we may have met before?" "The way you looked at each other at the club, and again this morning." Kerr shook his head. "You are an observant young person! The fact is, I've never met him--of that I'm certain, but I believe I've seen him before, and for the life of me, I can't think where. At the moment you spoke I was trying to remember." "Was it in this country?" Flora prompted, hopeful of fishing something definite out of this vagueness. "No, it was years ago. It must have been in England." He looked at her inquiringly, as if he expected her to help him.