He imagined he had cast away his gloom; he desired to look like the men who take life with easy courage.

As he gazed through the glass door into the street, a figure suddenly blocked his prospect, and a face looked in.

Then the door opened, and there entered a young man of clerkly appearance, who glanced from Miss Ringrose to her companion with an air of severity.
Patty had reddened a little.
"What are _you_ doing here at this time of day ?" she asked familiarly.
"Oh--business--had to look up a man over here.

Thought I'd speak a word as I passed." Hilliard drew aside.
"Who has opened this new shop opposite ?" added the young man, beckoning from the doorway.
A more transparent pretext for drawing Patty away could not have been conceived; but she readily lent herself to it, and followed.

The door closed behind them.