She went on, frowning.
The man vanished back into the corridor.

She could hear that Mr.Cannon had joined him in conversation.

She arrived at the corridor.
"How-d'ye-do, Miss Lessways ?" Mr.Cannon greeted her with calm politeness, turning from Mr.Karkeek, who raised his hat.

"Will you come this way?
One moment, Mr.Karkeek." Through a door marked "Private" Mr.Cannon introduced Hilda straight into his own room; then shut the door on her.

He held in one hand a large calf-bound volume, from which evidently he was expounding something to Mr.Karkeek.The contrast between the expensive informality of Mr.Cannon's new suit and the battered ceremoniousness of Mr.
Karkeek's struck her just as much as the contrast between their demeanours; and she felt, vaguely, the oddness of the fact that the name of the deferential Mr.Karkeek, and not the name of the commanding Mr.
Cannon, should be upon the door-plates and the wire-blinds of the establishment.