So lightly had she entered, and so lightly did she steal up the warehouse stair, that the solitary being making out accounts at the desk was not aware of her presence until she spoke.  And then, oh how timid her look and tone, just as if she feared greatly her reception.

’Excuse me coming in, Walter.  I wanted so much to see you, I could not help coming.  I will not hinder you long.’

He leaped up in the greatness of his surprise, in his agitation knocking over the stool on which he had been sitting.  His face was dusky red, his firm mouth trembling, as he touched for a moment the outstretched, daintily-gloved hand.

’Oh, it is you?  Won’t you sit down?  It is a battered old chair, but if you wait a moment I’ll bring you another,’ he said awkwardly.

‘No, don’t.  I have often sat on this box.  I can sit on it again,’ she said unsteadily.  ’I won’t sit on ten chairs, Walter, though you should bring them to me this moment.’

She sat down, and her movement sent a faint whiff of perfume about her, dainty as herself.  And then there was just a moment’s painful silence.  The awkwardness of the moment dwelt with them both; it would be hard to say which felt it more.

‘I suppose,’ said Walter stiffly, ‘you are getting on all right?’

‘Yes.  I thought you would have come to see me before this, Walter,’ said Gladys quietly.

’You need not have thought so.  I said I wouldn’t come, that nothing would induce me to come,’ he answered shortly.

’We are going away into Ayrshire, so I thought I must come to say good-bye,’ Gladys said then.

‘To your estate?’

‘No; to Troon, where the sea is.’

‘Oh, and will you stay long?’

’Perhaps all the summer.  How are you getting on here all alone, Walter?  You must tell me that.’

‘Oh, well enough.’

‘Does Mrs. Macintyre come to work for you?’

‘Yes, morning and night she looks in.  I’m going to make this thing pay.’

He looked as if he meant it.  His square jaw was firmly set, his whole look that of a man determined to succeed.

‘I hope you will, Walter.  I feel sure of it,’ she said brightly.

‘It’ll be awful drudgery for a while,’ he continued, almost in the confidential tones of yore.  ’To have so much money, your uncle had the poorest way of doing business.  He had the customers all under his thumb, and made them fetch and carry what they wanted themselves; in that way he saved a man’s wages.  I’m not giving anything on credit, and after they’ve once freed themselves, and can pay cash for what they get, they’ll want it delivered to them, and quite right.  Then I’ll get a man and a horse and cart, and when I once get that, the thing will grow like a mushroom.’

‘How clever you are to think of all that!’ said Gladys admiringly.  ’I am quite sure you will succeed.’

‘I mean to,’ he said soberly, but with a quiet determination which convinced Gladys how much in earnest he was.