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felt she did。 He would wait till he could write to her of success；
of victory。 And then when it had slowly； almost imperceptibly；
arrived！ He wondered why he never had。 Quite a nice little girl；
in some respects。 If only she had been less conceited； less
self…willed。 Also rather a pretty girl she had shown signs of
becoming。 There were times He remembered an evening before the
lamps were lighted。 She had fallen asleep curled up in Abner's easy
chair； one small hand resting upon the arm。 She had always had
quite attractive handsa little too thin。 Something had moved him
to steal across softly without waking her。 He smiled at the memory。
And then her eyes； beneath the level brows！ It was surprising how
Ann was coming back to him。 Perhaps they would be able to tell him；
the people of the house； what had become of her。 If they were
decent people they would let him wander round a while。 He would
explain that he had lived there in Abner Herrick's time。 The room
where they had sometimes been agreeable to one another while Abner；
pretending to read； had sat watching them out of the corner of an
eye。 He would like to sit there for a few moments； by himself。
He forgot that he had rung the bell。 A very young servant had
answered the door and was staring at him。 He would have walked in
if the small servant had not planted herself deliberately in his
way。 It recalled him to himself。
〃I beg pardon；〃 said Matthew； 〃but would you please tell me who
lives here？〃
The small servant looked him up and down with growing suspicion。
〃Miss Kavanagh lives here；〃 she said。 〃What do you want？〃
The surprise was so great it rendered him speechless。 In another
moment the small servant would have slammed the door。
〃Miss Ann Kavanagh？〃 he inquired； just in time。
〃That's her name；〃 admitted the small servant； less suspicious。
〃Will you please tell her Mr。 PoleMr。 Matthew Pole；〃 he requested。
〃I'll see first if she is in；〃 said the small servant； and shut the
door。
It gave Matthew a few minutes to recover himself； for which he was
glad。 Then the door opened again suddenly。
〃You are to come upstairs；〃 said the small servant。
It sounded so like Ann that it quite put him at his ease。 He
followed the small servant up the stairs。
〃Mr。 Matthew Pole；〃 she announced severely； and closed the door
behind him。
Ann was standing by the window and came to meet him。 It was in
front of Abner's empty chair that they shook hands。
〃So you have come back to the old house；〃 said Matthew。
〃Yes；〃 she answered。 〃It never let well。 The last people who had
it gave it up at Christmas。 It seemed the best thing to do； even
from a purely economical point of view。
〃What have you been doing all these years？〃 she asked him。
〃Oh； knocking about；〃 he answered。 〃Earning my living。〃 He was
curious to discover what she thought of Matthew； first of all。
〃It seems to have agreed with you；〃 she commented； with a glance
that took him in generally； including his clothes。
〃Yes；〃 he answered。 〃I have had more luck than perhaps I deserved。〃
〃I am glad of that；〃 said Ann。
He laughed。 〃So you haven't changed so very much；〃 he said。
〃Except in appearance。
〃Isn't that the most important part of a woman？〃 suggested Ann。
〃Yes；〃 he answered； thinking。 〃I suppose it is。〃
She was certainly very beautiful。
〃How long are you stopping in New York？〃 she asked him。
〃Oh； not long；〃 he explained。
〃Don't leave it for another ten years；〃 she said； 〃before letting me
know what is happening to you。 We didn't get on very well together
as children； but we mustn't let him think we're not friends。 It
would hurt him。〃
She spoke quite seriously； as if she were expecting him any moment
to open the door and join them。 Involuntarily Matthew glanced round
the room。 Nothing seemed altered。 The worn carpet； the faded
curtains； Abner's easy chair； his pipe upon the corner of the
mantelpiece beside the vase of spills。
〃It is curious；〃 he said； 〃finding this vein of fancy； of tenderness
in you。 I always regarded you as such a practical； unsentimental
young person。〃
〃Perhaps we neither of us knew each other too well； in those days；〃
she answered。
The small servant entered with the tea。
〃What have you been doing with yourself？〃 he asked； drawing his
chair up to the table。
She waited till the small servant had withdrawn。
〃Oh； knocking about；〃 she answered。 〃Earning my living。〃
〃It seems to have agreed with you；〃 he repeated； smiling。
〃It's all right now；〃 she answered。 〃It was a bit of a struggle at
first。〃
〃Yes；〃 he agreed。 〃Life doesn't temper the wind to the human lamb。
But was there any need in your case？〃 he asked。 〃I thought〃
〃Oh； that all went；〃 she explained。 〃Except the house。〃
〃I'm sorry；〃 said Matthew。 〃I didn't know。〃
〃Oh； we have been a couple of pigs；〃 she laughed； replying to his
thoughts。 〃I did sometimes think of writing you。 I kept the
address you gave me。 Not for any assistance； I wanted to fight it
out for myself。 But I was a bit lonely。〃
〃Why didn't you？〃 he asked。
She hesitated for a moment。
〃It's rather soon to make up one's mind；〃 she said； 〃but you seem to
me to have changed。 Your voice sounds so different。 But as a boy
well； you were a bit of a prig； weren't you？ I imagined you writing
me good advice and excellent short sermons。 And it wasn't that that
I was wanting。〃
〃I think I understand；〃 he said。 〃I'm glad you got through。
〃What is your line？〃 he asked。 〃Journalism？〃
〃No；〃 she answered。 〃Too self…opinionated。〃
She opened a bureau that had always been her own and handed him a
programme。 〃Miss Ann Kavanagh； Contralto；〃 was announced on it as
one of the chief attractions。
〃I didn't know you had a voice；〃 said Matthew。
〃You used to complain of it；〃 she reminded him。
〃Your speaking voice；〃 he corrected her。 〃And it wasn't the quality
of that I objected to。 It was the quantity。〃
She laughed。
〃Yes； we kept ourselves pretty busy bringing one another up；〃 she
admitted。
They talked a while longer： of Abner and his kind； quaint ways； of
old friends。 Ann had lost touch with most of them。 She had studied
singing in Brussels； and afterwards her master had moved to London
and she had followed him。 She had only just lately returned to New
York。
The small servant entered to clear away the tea things。 She said
she thought that Ann had rung。 Her tone implied that anyhow it was
time she had。 Matthew rose and Ann held out her hand。
〃I shall be at the concert；〃 he said。
〃It isn't till next week；〃 Ann reminded him。
〃Oh； I'm not in any particular hurry；〃 said Matthew。 〃Are you
generally in of an afternoon？〃
〃Sometimes；〃 said Ann。
He thought as he sat watching her from his stall that she was one of
the most beautiful women he had ever seen。 Her voice was not great。
She had warned him not to expect too much。
〃It will never set the Thames on fire；〃 she had said。 〃I thought at
first that it would。 But such as it is I thank God for it。〃
It was worth that。 It was sweet and clear and had a tender quality。
Matthew waited for