"I began to think you were not coming," she said.
She gave him her left hand, and Micky squeezed it in friendly fashion. They went upstairs together to a small tea-room, which was just now deserted save for two waitresses who were giggling together over a newspaper.
June walked over to a table in the window, and Micky followed.
He had been here with her scores of times before, and the two waitresses smiled at one another knowingly; they were quite sure that this was romance.
Micky was sitting with an elbow on the table, absently smoothing the back of his head; he was wishing it was Esther sitting opposite to him; he looked up with a little start when June spoke to him.
"What's up, Micky? I've never seen you looking so depressed."
"Oh, nothing, nothing! It's the beastly weather, I expect."
She looked at him quizzically with her queer eyes.
"I shouldn't have thought the weather would depress you," she said. "However, if you say it does----"
"I'm not depressed any longer," he declared. "Well, and how are you? And how is the swindle?" It was Micky's pet joke to call June's invention the "swindle," though in his heart he was almost as proud of it as she was.
"It's very well, thank you; but that isn't what I want to talk to you about to-day. Micky, would you like to come to tea with me one afternoon?"
"Tea! Haven't I come to tea with you to-day?"
"Silly! I don't mean here; I mean where I live. It's a boarding-house. I dare say you'll hate it, but it's really quite a nice place, and beggars can't be choosers, anyway. I've got a very comfortable sitting-room and most of my own furniture, and I can give you a good cup of tea, or anything else, if you prefer it."
"I shall be delighted," Micky looked puzzled. "But isn't this rather a breaking of rules? It's not so very long ago that you made me swear never to try and find out where you lived. I thought it was all to be a deadly secret."
"So it was, but I've decided to admit you. I know you're safe, and, Micky, wouldn't you like to meet the dearest, prettiest, most attractive little girl...."
Micky moved his chair back in mock alarm.
"June! You're not turning match-maker! If you are, I give you fair warning that our friendship will have to end once and for ever. I'll put up with a lot from you, but not this--not...."