“Not glad to see you!” he exclaimed almost vehemently. “Why, what else do you suppose I come here for every Thursday evening? I never dance; they all make game of me because they know I come here on the chance of seeing you again. I’m a fool! I know that! You just amuse yourself here with me, and then you go away, back to your friends--and forget! And I hang about round here, like the silly ass that I am!” “My dear--George!” The young man blushed at the sound of his Christian name. He was mollified despite himself. “I suppose it’s got to be the same thing all over again,” he declared resignedly. “You’ll talk to me and let me be near you--and make a fool of me all round; and then you’ll go away, and heaven knows when I’ll see you again. You won’t let me take you home, and won’t tell me where you live, or who your friends are. You do treat me precious badly, Miss Violet.” “This time,” she said quietly, “it will not be the same. I have something quite serious to say to you.” “Something serious--you? Go on!” he exclaimed in excitement. “Have you found another place yet?” “No. I haven’t really tried. I have a little money saved, and I could get one tomorrow if--” She stopped him with a smiling gesture. “I don’t mean that--yet,” she said. “I wanted to know whether it would be possible for you to go away for a little time, if someone paid all your expenses.” “To go away!” he repeated blankly. “What for?” Mademoiselle Violet leaned a little nearer to him. “My mistress asked me yesterday,” she said, “if I knew anyone who could be trusted who would go away, at a moment’s notice, on an errand for her.” “Your mistress,” he repeated. “You really are a lady’s maid, then, are you?” “Of course!” she answered impatiently. “Haven’t I told you so before? Now what do you say? Will you go?” “I dunno,” he answered thoughtfully. “If it had been for you, I don’t know that I’d have minded. I ain’t fond of traveling.” “It is for me,” she interrupted hastily. “If I can find her anyone who will do what she wants, she will make my fortune. She has promised. And then--” “Well, and then?” Mademoiselle Violet looked at him thoughtfully. “I should not make any promises,” she said demurely, “but things would certainly be different.”