Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-03-21

I'm the he's y ss use gentleman sas'"a me is, "'I
know no more about him
,hnm YOU do. Miss Sdlcy. Queer
yes, Of course it's queer, his coming
IN every blessed afternoon Just as tho
CLOCK strikes five. an sitting down at
one OF the smaller tables am ordering
tea for two. just rs II no was always
expecting someone to join him
someone who never comes: but by tho
time you've served as long In a tea
shop as / have you'll have got tired
OF bothering your head over other
peoples business: you'll leave them
to manage IL for themselves. least
ways YOU will IL you're Wise"
Maudie Hunt tossed her head as
she spoke. She wore her hair like a
Gibson girl. piled high on the top OF
her head She was feeling the least
bit put out. and her manner betrayed
az much. for Mnudie mentally could
new waitress who had been helping
I'm Mrs. Ramsey's tea shop for just
two days and who was obviously
very new TO the business.
protege OF the proprietress OF the
tea shop-actually boarding with
Leebe Ramsey and her husband
she was not a safe person to pick a
quarrel with. though 1t was pleasant
10 put her down occasionally, when
ever given the chance to make her
realize that she was from the coun-
try.
Mary flushed little. She was
aware that Maudic Hunt was vaguely
jealous OF her. also that the two other
Mattresses regarded with n certain
amount OF curiosity, not TO say sus-
picton, this girl who had had no pre-
vious experience OF tea shops. and
who kept her own counsel: for moth
ing would have induced Mary Sidley
n fal hnr IT,
was Mary. Mary. quite contrary"
silly, selfish girl, who had suddenly
taken II into her head to run away
from the kind old uncle and aunt
who had brought her up; to turn her
back on her comfortable home in the
red-bricked rectory and on Little
Sedgethorpe-and all because love
had played her falls.
But Mary had been punished al
ready for her wilfulness. She knew
that II would be a long day before
she forgot the sensation of sick hor-
? ror that had come over her after she
had realized that she had lost the
handbag containing all her quarters
money. and that she was absolutely
penniless ard alone in London.
She regretted bitterly enough haV-
ing been persuaded by the two young
girls whom she had met in the train
to accompany them TO their club in
Trafalgar Square. and how she had
nearly been dragged to prison by q
big policeman. She had only been
saved by Leeby Ramsey's kind inter
ventton. in fact. and now It was the
same kind. motheriy Scotswoman who
was looking after Mary, giving her
decent employment and bed and board
in her own house; but Leeby saw to
!; that the spoilt. .prettj young crea-
ture worked hard and obeyed rules,
for MIS- Ramsey did not want things
TO be made too easy Cor the runaway;
she wanted Mary to learn several
hard lessons and gain more expert
ehce before she went home again.
1t seemed to Mary that she was
learning lessons all the time; that
HE had become very severe affair.
and If the child had not had real grit
in her she would have taken train
back to Little SedSethorpe, returned
TO her spoiled and petted existence.
For her uncle and aunt had wired to
Mary directly they received her peni-
tent letter written from town. and
told her that the best thing she could
do would be TO come home at once,
to hy back to the nest. but Mary felt
that SHE must learn what London
had to teach her first. Having nut
her hand to the plough she must not
turn back.
She hated London. though. hated