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Halliday.”
    Ann felt the oddest sensation. Just for the fraction of a second it seemed to her that all this had happened before. There was a strange familiar unreality about the whole thing. It had happened before, or it had never really happened at all.…
    Then in a flash all that was gone, and she was saying,
    â€œBut I came to see Mrs. Halliday.”
    â€œQuite so,” said the man. “Mrs. Halliday, as you say—my mother. Now won’t you sit down, Miss Vernon?”
    Ann sat down on one of the gilded chairs. It was even more unyielding than it looked.
    Mr. Halliday resumed his own seat. He put a hand on either knee and bent a business-like gaze upon her.
    â€œWhat Mrs. Halliday wants is a companion—and when I say a companion, that’s just exactly what I mean. She’s got her maid who looks after her—gets her up and puts her to bed and all that kind of thing—and if she should be ill, which I hope she won’t, there’d be no expense spared. But what she wants is a companion, someone that will keep her bright, and make a bit of a fuss of her, and listen to her when she wants to talk, and let her be when she doesn’t want to be bothered.” He ran his hands suddenly through his hair and rumpled it. “I don’t know if you take me?”
    â€œOh yes, I think so,” said Ann.
    Mr. James Halliday smoothed his ruffled hair.
    â€œYou wouldn’t believe the trouble it is to get her suited. She likes them bright, but she don’t like them uppish.”
    â€œI’d do my best to please her,” said Ann.
    â€œWell, there it is,” said Mr. Halliday. “You see, it’s this way—she’s an old lady and she likes her own way. I suppose most of us do, but she’s come to a time of life when she expects to get it, and if she doesn’t get it there’s trouble. I don’t grudge a good salary to anyone who’ll make her happy. There, you’ve got it in a nutshell, Miss Vernon. That’s your job—to make Mrs. Halliday happy. When could you come?”
    Ann was a little taken aback.
    â€œI could come any time—I’m free now.”
    â€œAh!” said Mr. Halliday. “That’s right! Now, I’ve been on to that reference you gave—that Lady Gillingham who said you’d been brought up with her daughter—and I don’t mind saying she spoke very highly of you. Let’s get this clear. You say you’re free. Does that mean you’d be free to come today?”
    With the most extraordinary distinctness Ann heard Charles’ voice saying to her in the taxi, “Don’t take this job.” She started a little, banged the door on Charles, and said,
    â€œOh yes, I could come to-day if Mrs. Halliday wants me to. May I see her now?”
    Mr. Halliday rose with an air of relief and led the way back to the crimson-trellised cauliflowers. At a door on the right he knocked, and then preceded Ann into the room.
    Mrs. Halliday was sitting bolt upright in a Victorian chair with a hard upholstered seat and back, and a frame of yellow walnut very uncomfortably carved. There was a crazy patchwork cushion on the floor as if it had just fallen. It was a relief to find that there was no gilding. The carpet was an old-fashioned one with a pattern of enormous pink and blue roses on a drab ground. There was a horsehair sofa, also with a walnut frame, and several odd little Victorian chairs covered in woolwork. The curtains were of crimson plush with an edging of ball fringe. There was a deep mantle-border of the same. A little round table with a maroon velvet top and a straight frill of hand-made crochet stood at Mrs. Halliday’s elbow. Upon it reposed a large photograph album with gilt clasps and a massive workbox of Tonbridge ware.
    Mrs. Halliday herself wore a little black silk apron over a full-skirted dress of black cashmere. She had a small black lace tippet about her