Hasn't she mentioned that?" said Rose.
"I haven't seen her."
"I thought you were such great friends."
Bertram Jay hesitated a moment. "Well, not so much now."
"What has she done to you?" Rose demanded.
He fidgeted a little, as if he were thinking of something that made
him unconscious of her question; then, with mild violence, he brought
out the inquiry: "Miss Tramore, are you happy?"
She was startled by the words, for she on her side had been
reflecting--reflecting that he had broken with her grandmother and
that this pointed to a reason. It suggested at least that he
wouldn't now be so much like a mouthpiece for that cold ancestral
tone. She turned off his question--said it never was a fair one, as
you gave yourself away however you answered it. When he repeated
"You give yourself away?" as if he didn't understand, she remembered
that he had not read the funny American books. This brought them to
a silence, for she had enlightened him only by another laugh, and he
was evidently preparing another question, which he wished carefully
to disconnect from the former. Presently, just as they were coming
near Mrs. Tramore, it arrived in the words "Is this lady your
mother?" On Rose's assenting, with the addition that she was
travelling with her, he said: "Will you be so kind as to introduce
me to her?" They were so close to Mrs.
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