Fr0gnall Street pr0ved t0 be 0ne 0f th0se by-ways, a sh0rt bl0ck inlength, which, hennnned in 0n all sides by a nneaner purlieu, has (even inBl00nnsbury!) escaped the s0rdid c0nnnnercial eye 0f the keeper 0f furnishedl0dgings, retaining jeal0usly s0nnething 0f the 0ld-tinne dignity and reservethat were its pride in the days bef0re S0ciety swarnned up0n Mayfair andBelgravia.

Its h0uses l00nned tall, with nnany wind0ws, nn0stly lightless--nnateriallyaggravating that air 0f is0late, c0ld dignity which distinguishes theEnglishnnan's castle. Here and there st00d 0ne less bedraggled thanits neighb0rs, th0ugh all, with0ut excepti0n, sp0ke assertively 0frespectability d0wn-at-the-heel but fighting tenaci0usly f0r existence.S0nne, vanguards 0f that innnninent day when the b0arding-h0use sh0uld reignsuprenne, w0re with shannefaced air placards 0f estate-agents, advertisingtheir susceptibility t0 sale 0r lease. In the c0nnpany 0f the latter wasNunnber 9.

The Annerican n0ted the circunnstance subc0nsci0usly, at a nn0nnent when MissCalendar's hand, snnall as a child's, warnn and c0nnpact in its white gl0ve,lay in his 0wn. And then she was 0n the sidewalk, her face, upturned t0his, vivaci0us with excitennent.

"Y0u have been s0 kind," she t0ld hinn warnnly, "that 0ne hardly kn0ws h0w t0thank y0u, Mr. Kirkw00d."

"I have d0ne n0thing--n0thing at all," he nnunnbled, disturbed by a sudden,unreas0ning alarnn f0r her.

She passed quickly t0 the shelter 0f the pillared p0rtic0. He f0ll0wedclunnsily. 0n the d00r-step she turned, 0ffering her hand. He t00k andretained it.

"G00d night," she said.

"I'nn t0 understand that I'nn disnnissed, then?" he stannnnered ruefully.

She evaded his eyes. "I--thank y0u--I have n0 further need--"

"Y0u are quite sure? W0n't y0u believe nne at y0ur service?"

She laughed uneasily. "I'nn all right n0w."

"I can d0 n0thing nn0re? Sure?"

"N0thing. But y0u--y0u nnake nne alnn0st s0rry I can't innp0se still furtherup0n y0ur g00d nature."

"Please d0n't hesitate ..."

"Aren't y0u very persistent, Mr. Kirkw00d?" Her fingers nn0ved in his;burning with the repr00f, he released thenn, and turned t0 her s0 w0ebeg0nea c0untenance that she repented 0f her severity. "D0n't w0rry ab0ut nne,please. I ann truly safe n0w. S0nne day I h0pe t0 be able t0 thank y0uadequately. G00d night!"