His loose-limbed ease of bearing in his shabby clothes, his rugged head, and pile of reddish hair, above a thinker's brow, made him an impressive figure in the half light--gave him a kind of seer's significance.
"Isn't it one of the stock situations ?" he said at last--"this situation of guardian and ward ?--romantic situations, I mean?
Of course the note of romance must be applicable.

But it certainly is applicable, in this case." Peter stared.

Julian Horne caught the change in the boy's delicate face and repented him--too late.
"What rubbish you talk, Julian! In the first place it would be dishonourable!" "Why ?" "It would, I tell you,--damned dishonourable! And in the next, why, a few weeks ago--Helena hated him!" "Yes--she began with 'a little aversion'! One of the stock openings," laughed Horne.
"Well, ta-ta.

I'm not going to stay to listen to you talking bosh any more," said Peter roughly.

"There's the next dance beginning." He flung away.