Los Angeles herald., 1906-07-08

tie uncertainty and hesitated I spoke with
great determination.
Its not possible, siid, "for you to 60 in
mere II you insist upon-er-the transaction, l
insist upon executing IL for you"
l knew she was relieved, but she would not
show It, Very we'll" she said composedly.
PLEASE take this bangle But il was you who
forced upon me the transaction"
'I shall only be minute" / said with my
hand on the door
'T am surprised" she retorted, chat you, can
trust me out of your sight as long as that"
Once inside, I slipped the bangle into breast
pocket, and inquired thc way to an imaginary
road Information on the subject being-natur
ally-not forthcoming, I was reduced to stooping
to tie a bootace that had not come undone; after
which ] reioned her, holding out two sovereigns
She looked at them without satisfaction.
why didn't you get smaller changer she de-
manGed Nov you Will have to come back to
the station with me before I can pay you"
It was my turn to vince now. ] had blunder-
ed unpardonably; had given no quarter, and was
to receive none.
every well, said meelly "But"-as a sud
den idea struck me-"surely you don't need
change? One sovereign is the extent of your
debt to me
"And penny" she flashed back. "You don't
suppose I'm going to let you pay my omnibus
fare?"
bit my III, and flung my newly acquired
meekness to the winds.
I had forgotten the nennv," said stiffy II
mean the twopence- -halfpenny."
She looke1 at me suspciousy. why two
pence -halfpenny?" she demanded
''The postal order cost three-halfpence."
ooh! Thank you t-r reminding me-"
We went to the booking-offfce for change, and
then back to the waitng-room.
"There is the money, she said. Good morn
ing"
And though her voice was perfectly even, there
was an expression in her eyes that troubled me,
and a certain dispirited droop about her shoul-
ders, as though she had fought long and hard for
something and had b--n vanquished The mem
ory of how ] ad trea led her overwhelmed me. I
watched her helplessly as she walked to the door.
AS she turned the handle a young man walked
past at brisk pace, and low exclamation es-
capped her. The young man wheeled round,
"Hullo Betty" he said breezily "you here?
And" he stared at moment in a puzzled
way, and then held out his hand rather shyly-
chow d. you do? I didn't know you knew my
sister. You won't remember me, expect. You
were in the Sixth when I was Fellowes Minor,
at the bottom of the Lower School"
I did remember him, but my tongue seemed
frozen in my mouth. 1t seemed an eternity while
I waited for her to annihilate me with word.
She laughed suddenly, and ] looked up. She
was patting her left-hand pocket ruefully.
shuddered.
ooh. Teddy" she said,>a little unsteadily, "1
don't know what I should have done but for
Mr.. Barttle Westinghouse. What d'you think?
I lost my purse, and he has had to pay even the
penny for my 'bus-fare"
AGAIN she laughed with soft roguishness, and
I could have fallen on my knees to her. At the
same time, by no means lost consciousness of
the fact that the explanation, though ingenious,
had its weak points How, for instance, if Teddy
asked, was she going to explain? But Teddy
didn't ask. His mind appeared full of something
ID he etar
then at me in kind of awed way.
'Then"-he looked at her-"is he-really COM
ing down with us, or what?'
She drew sort of quivering breath and
stared amazedly at them both. What was it all
about?