Rowland introduced himself; he had come, he might
say, upon business.
"Yes," said Mrs. Hudson tremulously; "I know--my son has told me. I
suppose it is better I should see you. Perhaps you will take a seat."
With this invitation Rowland prepared to comply, and, turning, grasped
the first chair that offered itself.
"Not that one," said a full, grave voice; whereupon he perceived that a
quantity of sewing-silk had been suspended and entangled over the back,
preparatory to being wound on reels. He felt the least bit irritated at
the curtness of the warning, coming as it did from a young woman whose
countenance he had mentally pronounced interesting, and with regard to
whom he was conscious of the germ of the inevitable desire to produce a
responsive interest. And then he thought it would break the ice to say
something playfully urbane.
"Oh, you should let me take the chair," he answered, "and have the
pleasure of holding the skeins myself!"
For all reply to this sally he received a stare of undisguised amazement
from Miss Garland, who then looked across at Mrs. Hudson with a glance
which plainly said: "You see he 's quite the insidious personage we
feared.
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