24
She sent in a little note to Charlie on which she had written: "Please see me. It is urgent." A Chinese boy asked her to wait and brought the answer that Mr. Townsend would see her in five minutes. She was unaccountably nervous. When at last she was ushered into his room Charlie came forward to shake hands with her, but the moment the boy, having closed the door, left them alone he dropped the affable formality of his manner.
"I say, my dear, you really mustn't come here in working hours. I've got an awful lot to do and we don't want to give people a chance to gossip."
She gave him a long look with those beautiful eyes of hers and tried to smile, but her lips were stiff and she could not.
"I wouldn't have come unless it was necessary."
He smiled and took her arm.
"Well, since you'
