The Silver Mask
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Miss Sonia Herries, coming home from a dinner-party at the Westons', heard a voice at her elbow.
'If you please—only a moment—'
She had walked from the Westons' flat because it was only three streets away, and now she was only a few steps from her door, but it was late, there was no one about and the King's Road rattle was muffled and dim.
'I am afraid I can't—' she began. It was cold and the wind nipped her cheeks.
'If you would only—' he went on.
She turned and saw one of the handsomest young men possible. He was the handsome young man of all romantic stories, tall, dark, pale, slim, distinguished—oh! everything!—and he was wearing a shabby blue suit and shivering with the cold just as he should have been.
'I'm afraid I can't—' she repeated, beginning to
