Again Hilda was impressed, mystically, by the strangeness of the secret relation between herself and this splendid effective man.

There they were, safe within the room, almost on a footing of familiar friendship! The atmosphere was different from that of the first interview.

And none knew! And she alone had brought it all about by a simple caprice! "I was fine and startled when I saw you at our door, Mr.Cannon!" she said.
He might have said, "Were you?
You didn't show it." She was half expecting him to say some such thing.

But he became reflective, and began: "Well, you see--" and then hesitated.
"You didn't tell me you thought of calling." "Well," he proceeded at last--and she could not be sure whether he was replying to her or not--"I was pretty nearly ready to buy that Calder Street property.

And I thought I'd talk _that_ over with your mother first! It just happened to make a good beginning, you see." He spoke with all the flattering charm of the confidential.
Hilda flushed.