"Miss Sparkes is living with me for the present, Mr.Gammon.

There'll be changes before long"-- she looked about her with prudish embarrassment--"but, of course, we shall be seeing you again.

Do you know the address, Mr.Gammon ?" She mentioned the number of the house, and carefully repeated it, whilst Polly turned away as if the conversation did not interest her.
Thereupon Mr.Gammon bade them good night, and went his way, marvelling that Polly Sparkes had all at once become so placable.

Was it a stratagem to throw him off his guard and bring him into the clutches of some avenger one of these nights?
One never knew what went on in the minds of such young women as Polly.
Next morning he had another surprise, a letter from his friend Greenacre, inviting him, with many phrases of studious politeness, to dine that day at a great hotel, the hour eight o'clock, and begging him to reply by telegram addressed to the same hotel.

This puzzled Gammon, yet less than it could have done at an earlier stage of their acquaintance.