She had escaped, thanks to his sister.  And it looked as if those horrid hints had indeed been true, otherwise he would not have troubled to persist after his snubbing.  For he had persisted.  Some glint of blue light in the steady eyes told her that.  This was not a coincidence.  Mr. Rolls had the air of having found her at last.  She must make him sorry for it.  Because, after her experience of the other man who had persisted—­though she thought herself forgotten—­why should she hope against hope that this man was different?

At last the customer, who did not hurry in the least—­rather the contrary—­wore all excuses for lingering to shreds, she waddled fatly away, carrying the lace cloak with her; and Win, not shirking the ordeal as she had done when Jim Logan haunted Toyland, turned to Peter Rolls.

CHAPTER XXV

A PIECE OF HER MIND

“Miss Child, I’ve been looking for you for months!” were Peter’s first words when he had her to himself.

Instantly she knew what her pose ought to be.  Not prim stiffness, not suspicious maidenly dignity, but just smiling civility, a recognition of past slight acquaintance.  This would do for the beginning.  This must surely show him that the tactics Ena credited him with were useless here.

“Have you?  How nice of you to say so,” she braced herself to reply with gayest indifference.  “Well, I’ve been in this store for—­a long time, migrating from one department to another and learning the business.  I’m quite a fair saleswoman now, I assure you.  Are you going to buy a cloak?  Because, if not—­this is a busy morning.”

“Yes, I’ll buy one as a present for my mother,” said Peter.  “I should like you to choose her something.  I described her to you once, but I suppose you’ve forgotten.  She’s little, and rather plump, and has beautiful white hair and a rosy complexion.  But, Miss Child, I want to talk to you, not about cloaks, about yourself.  I’ve asked permission, and they know who I am, and it’s all right.  I said you and my sister were friends.  That’s true, isn’t it?”

“Oh, yes!”

“I believed we were friends once.  And we were, too.  The more I’ve thought of it, the surer I’ve been.  Something happened to make you change your mind about me.  I was struck all of a heap at first.  I didn’t have the sense to know what to say or do, to try and put myself back where I had been.  I let you go.  And I lost you.  But I’m not going to lose you again.  You can see how much in earnest I am when I tell you that I haven’t stopped looking for you for one single day after I realized you wouldn’t keep your promise about writing my sister.”

“It wasn’t a promise,” breathed Win.  “I—­never meant to write to her.”

“I thought so!”

“Why should I?  It was very kind of Miss Rolls to suggest it, if I should ever want help.  But I didn’t want help.  All I wanted was to get on by myself.”