But do tell me who you are!" There followed a silence, during which the man leaned a little on his pole, gazing downwards while he kept the punt motionless.

The water babbled round them with a tinkling murmur that was like the laughter of fairy voices.

They had passed beyond the region of house-boats and bungalows, and the night was very still.
At last the man spoke, and the girl gave a queer little motion of relief.
"I should like to tell you everything there is to know about me," he said in his careful, foreign English.

"But--will you forgive me ?--I do not feel myself able to do so--yet.

Some day I will answer your question gladly--I hope some day soon--if you are kind enough to continue to extend to me your interest and your friendship." He looked down into Hilary's uplifted face with a queer wistfulness that struck unexpectedly straight to her heart.