"You don't know many men right here in New York. Who do you mean?" I saw that he had me there and, not wishing to be driven into a corner, I beat a shuffling retreat. "I don't mean any one in particular. I'm speaking in general." As we had reached an empty bench and the afternoon was hot, I suggested that we sit down. We had been silent a little while, when he asked the question I had been expecting. "Who was the person who offered you the--the--" I saw how he hated the word--"the employment?" I had already decided to betray no knowledge of matters which didn't concern me. "It's a Mr. Grainger," I said, as casually as I could. As he sat close to me I could feel him start. "Not Stacy Grainger?" I maintained my tone of indifference. "I think that is his name. Do you know him? He seems to be some one of importance." "Oh, he is." "Mr. Strangways has gone to him as secretary and, I suppose, knowing that I was out of a situation, he must have mentioned me." "For what?" "As I understand it, it's librarian. It seems that this Mr. Grainger has quite a collection--" "Oh yes, I know." As he remained silent for some time I waited for him to raise objections, but he only said at last: "In that case you wouldn't have much to do with him. He's never there." "No, I fancy not," I hastened to agree, and Hugh said no more. He said no more, but I could see that it was because he was wrestling with a subject of which he couldn't perceive the bearings. As far as I was concerned he plainly considered it wise not to tell me that which, as a stranger and a foreigner, I wouldn't be likely to know. He consequently dropped the topic, and when he talked again it was of trivial things. A half-hour later, as we were on our way homeward, he exclaimed, suddenly, and apropos of nothing at all: "Little Alix, if you were to love anybody else I'd--I'd shoot myself." His innocent, boyish, inexperienced face wore such a look of misery that I laughed. I laughed to conceal the fact that I was near to crying. "Oh no, you wouldn't, Hugh. Besides, you don't see any likelihood of my doing it." "I'm not so sure about that," he grumbled. "Well, I am, Hugh, dear." I laughed again. "I've no intention of loving any one else--till I've settled my account with your father." CHAPTER XII Nearly a week later, in the middle of a hot afternoon, I came back from some shopping to wait for Hugh at the hotel. Though it was a half-hour before I expected him, I was too tired to go up-stairs and so went directly to the reception-room. It was not only cool and restful there, but after the glare of the streets outside, it was so dim that I took the place to be empty. Having gone to a mirror for a moment to straighten my hat and smooth the wayward tendrils of my hair, so that I shouldn't look disheveled when Hugh arrived, I threw myself into an arm-chair.