Page:Henry rideout--The siamese cat.djvu/39

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TIME AND CHANCE

particular sights would vanish: this girl and her aunt would, like the rest, depart into memories. They would join their friends, he would languish among strangers, and all his valiant, hare-brained stratagem would come to nothing. That would never do.

"Miss Holborow," he began in a resolute voice. "Please don't be offended." His tone made her look up quickly for an instant; and for that instant he floundered in a new and singular confusion. "You'll think it very odd, and blunt, and.… Well, I've seen you three times, twice by chance. But for all that.… By George, it won't do to have you go disappearing here in Siam. The world's terribly big; especially the East, where you lose your memory: people and things drop out of sight everywhere, and maskee!—but for friends.…" He stopped, ashamed of this foolish floundering. Meantime she looked at

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