They could do no other than smile at the accident; but neither spoke, and each waited passively.

Mrs.Harnham then felt a man's hand clasping her fingers, and from the look of consciousness on the young fellow's face she knew the hand to be his: she also knew that from the position of the girl he had no other thought than that the imprisoned hand was Anna's.
What prompted her to refrain from undeceiving him she could hardly tell.
Not content with holding the hand, he playfully slipped two of his fingers inside her glove, against her palm.

Thus matters continued till the pressure lessened; but several minutes passed before the crowd thinned sufficiently to allow Mrs.Harnham to withdraw.
'How did they get to know each other, I wonder ?' she mused as she retreated.

'Anna is really very forward--and he very wicked and nice.' She was so gently stirred with the stranger's manner and voice, with the tenderness of his idle touch, that instead of re-entering the house she turned back again and observed the pair from a screened nook.

Really she argued (being little less impulsive than Anna herself) it was very excusable in Anna to encourage him, however she might have contrived to make his acquaintance; he was so gentlemanly, so fascinating, had such beautiful eyes.