Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1906-03-31

faced girl suddenly pulled up sharp in
front of him. He noticed the other girl
tug at her sleeve in terrified way. But
the red faced girl was not one to be him
dered
II say" she said to Billy, you're
straight, aren't your"
She pronounced it strife" but I won't
reproduce the dreary pronunciation.
II hope So" said Billy, lifting his hat.
Because, if you aren't" she said, you
may just hook it. Violet is not one of
the wrong sort"
Billy was dreadfully disturbed, quite
as much as if this coarse remark had
been made before the most innocent girl
of his own class. He saw the cheeks of
the other girl flush with { painful red
and then fade to more than their usual
whteness. He began to pour out an in
coherent disclaimer of anything but the
utmost respect for Miss Violet. If she
desired it, he would 60 away and never
como back again.
stow that" said the red faced young
woman. Il knew you were straight the
minute / set eyes on you. If l didn't,
catch me encouraging you, young man!
Wen, you may come along, This is my
young man, William Sanders"
a fourth person had now joined the
group who remarked to Billy, following
the introduction, that he was his servant,
sir.
And. now. where are you two gents
going to stand treat to?" asked the red
faced girl, whose name Billy presently
discovered to be Clara. We've got to
be in at half past 10. A beastly shame,
| call it. Violet, here, is all for grass
and trees But tell her she'll have to
put it off till Saturday. | vote for
Earls Court and a snack of something
there"
Presently Billy found himself, to his
amazement, on top of bus, going west
through the lighted streets. He remem-
bered dimly that he was due at dinner
in Berkeley Square, but he was not in a
mood to have his perfect contentment
disturbed by such trine as broken
engagement.
The long line of lamps in the delicate
summer haze, stretching away by the
trees of the green park, was the way to
paradise for Billy. Stars came out over
head. The people on the bus talked in
whispers. They were mostly couples
with their arms about each other. Billy
and Miss Violet sat in front, separated
from their companions; they might al
most have been alone.
At first, they were silent; presently.
they became a little more intimate, and
the girl referred shyly to having seen
Billy's face between the bonnets.
Il never meant to have told Clara"
she murmTed, "but she found out some
how And one day she mad long look
at you from the other window. And she
said you could be trusted. But l never
supposed she was going to speak to you"
I'm very glad she did," said Billy.
And oh, please, you mustn't think
her vulgar, because she's so kind. She
looks after me, and is quite jealous if
talk to the other girls"
Il should be Just the same myself"
said Billy. "And l shouldn't think of
thinking Miss Clara vulgar. / think it's
awfuly good of her to look after you,
you know, and-to-to keep people Off
undesirable people, you know"
"Oh, she doesn't let me know a soul,
except Mr. Sanders; and he's really so
wrapped up in Clara that he's part of
her. He's most respectable young man,
Ia greengrocer's manager, When Clara's
married she's going to live at footing"
There was a suffocated sound in Miss
Niolet's voice, as though she were enjoy
ing huge joke all to herself, which made
Billy smile indulgently at her in the
darkness. He was to become we'll ac-
quainted with that sound in her voice in
the time to come. She had not her hui
morous mouth for nothing.
Presently they were at Earl's Court,
and after they had had "a snack" which
Billy insisted on standing-it was really
the best dinner Earl's Court could pro-
duce, and they all did full Justice to it
they sat in as secluded a place in the
gardens as they could find. But that
was not very secluded, and Billy re-
pressed an inclination to suggest two
hansoms for going home, since the bus
gave better opportunities FOR converse
ton and went so much more slowly, and
he was quite hungry for the murmur of
the soft voice at his ears, with the stified
merriment never far away from it.
The drive home was even better than
the one out, since the friendship had
grown so much. Under cover of the dark
ness, Billy kept touching the blue coat
with reverential tenderness. and felt the
contact with it thrill through him with
Il shock of delight.
Miss Violet was very frank about her.
self. She had lived with her parents and
brothers and sisters in an Oxfordshire
village, but they were 81 poor that she
had to do something to earn little
money. Her name was Hope-Violet
Hope. Her great ambition was some day
to have q bonnet shop of her own.
Then Billy told her his name and made
her guess at his occupation. She made
two or three guesses, bubbling with
laughter. A shopwalker? No? She had
guessed that because he was so tall and
straight. A hairdresser? Billy pulled
a face in the darkness, and felt her trem-
BILE at his side.
No; guardsman," he blurted out.
anxious to prevent any more hurts to his
vanity.
II knew You We're soldier" she said.