On the next occasion that St. John made his appearance at the studio
there was a visible constraint in his manner as there was also in Miss
Erskine's. Jill had rehearsed a grateful little speech to deliver on
his entry, but when their hands met there was silence; the speech, like
many another rehearsed effect, had taken to itself wings, and all she
could find to say after an awkward pause was,--
"Good morning. The weather seems to have turned milder, doesn't it?"