handsome profile in silence for a time.

'You have not many intimate friends, have you?' she asked presently.

'No, only one or two.'

She smiled.

'I'm not trying to get confidences from you. But really, that is very
vague. You must surely know whether you have only one, or whether
there is another. I'm not suggesting myself as a third, either!'

'Perhaps I'm over-cautious,' Griggs said. 'It does not matter. You
began by saying that you wished you knew me better. You meant that
if you did, you would either tell me something which you don't tell
everybody, or you would come to me for advice about something, or you
would ask me to do something for you. Is that it?'

'I suppose so.'

'It was not very hard to guess. I'll answer the three cases. If you
want to tell me a secret, don't. If you want advice without telling
everything about the case, it will be worthless. But if there is
anything I can do for you, I'll do it if I can, and I won't ask any
questions.'

'That's kind and sensible,' Margaret answered. 'And I should not be in
the least afraid to tell you anything. You would not repeat it.'

'No, certainly not. But some day, unless we became real friends, you