“She is indeed!” urged Patty.  “She says that—­even if she wished —­she could never break off with you; as I am sure she would never wish!”

“Ah! that’s what she says,” murmured the other.  And abruptly he rose.  “There’s no use in talking about this.  You are here for a holiday, and not to be bored with other people’s troubles.  The sun is trying to shine.  Let us go and see the town, and then—­yes, I’ll go back with you to Dudley, just to hear whether Eve is feeling any better.  You could see her, and then come out and tell me.”

“Mr. Hilliard, I’m quite sure you are worrying without any cause—­ you are, indeed!”

“I know I am.  It’s all nonsense.  Come along, and let us enjoy the sunshine.”

They spent three or four hours together, Hilliard resolute in his discharge of hospitable duties, and Miss Ringrose, after a brief spell of unnatural gravity, allowing no reflection to interfere with her holiday mood.  Hilliard had never felt quite sure as to the limits of Patty’s intelligence; he could not take her seriously, and yet felt unable to treat her altogether as a child or an imbecile.  To-day, because of his preoccupied thoughts, and the effort it cost him to be jocose, he talked for the most part in a vein of irony which impressed, but did not much enlighten, his hearer.

“This,” said he, when they had reached the centre of things, “is the Acropolis of Birmingham.  Here are our great buildings, of which we boast to the world.  They signify the triumph of Democracy—­and of money.  In front of you stands the Town Hall.  Here, to the left, is the Midland Institute, where a great deal of lecturing goes on, and the big free library, where you can either read or go to sleep.  I have done both in my time.  Behind yonder you catch a glimpse of the fountain that plays to the glory of Joseph Chamberlain—­did you ever hear of him?  And further back still is Mason College, where young men are taught a variety of things, including discontent with a small income.  To the right there, that’s the Council Hall—­ splendid, isn’t it!  We bring our little boys to look at it, and tell them if they make money enough they may some day go in and out as if it were their own house.  Behind it you see the Art Gallery.  We don’t really care for pictures; a great big machine is our genuine delight; but it wouldn’t be nice to tell everybody that.”

“What a lot I have learnt from you!” exclaimed the girl ingenuously, when at length they turned their steps towards the railway station.  “I shall always remember Birmingham.  You like it much better than London, don’t you?”

“I glory in the place!”

Hilliard was tired out.  He repented of his proposal to make the journey to Dudley and back, but his companion did not suspect this.

“I’m sure Eve will come out and have a little walk with us,” she said comfortingly.  “And she’ll think it so kind of you.”

At Dudley station there were crowds of people; Patty asked leave to hold by her companion’s arm as they made their way to the exit.  Just outside Hilliard heard himself hailed in a familiar voice; he turned and saw Narramore.