peared, Michael saw that she was
searching in the musty folds of her skirt in order to deposit in her
purse the month's rent he had paid in advance.

A couple of weeks passed while the decorators worked hard; and Michael
returned from an unwilling visit to Scotland to find them ready for him.
He got together a certain amount of furniture, and toward the end of
August he moved into Leppard Street.

Barnes on account of the prosperity which had come to him through
Michael's money had managed to dress himself in a series of outrageously
new and fashionable suits, and on the afternoon of his patron's arrival
he strutted about the apartments.

"Very nice," he said. "Very nice, indeed. I reckon old Ma Cleghorne
ought to be very pleased with herself. Some of these pictures are a bit
too religious for me just at present, but everyone to their own taste,
that's what I always say. To their own taste," he repeated. "Otherwise,
what's the good in being given an opinion of your own?"

Michael felt it was time to explain to Barnes more particularly his
quest of Lily.

"You don't know a girl called Lily Haden?" he asked.

"Lily Haden," said Barnes thoughtfully. "Lily Hopkins. A great fat girl
with red...."

"No, no," Michael interrupted. "Lily Haden. Tall. Slim. Very fair hair.
Of course she may have another name now."

"That's it, you see," said Barnes wisely.

"Wherever she is, whatever she's doing, I must find her," Michael went
on.

"Well, if you go about it in that spirit, you'll soon find her," Barnes
prophesied.

Michael looked at him sharply. He thought he noticed in Barnes' manner a
suggestion of humoring him. He rather resented the way in which Barnes
seemed to encourage him as one might encourage a child.

"You understand I want to marry her?" Michael asked fiercely.

"That's all right, old chap. I'm not trying to stop you, am I?"

"But why are you talking as if I weren't in earnest?" Michael demanded.
"When I first told you about it you were evidently very pleased, and now
you've got a sneer which frankly I tell you I find extraordinarily
objectionable."

Barnes looked much alarmed by Michael's sudden attack, and explained
that he meant nothing by his remarks beyond a bit of fun.

"Is it funny to marry somebody?" Michael demanded.

"Sometimes it's very funny to marry a tart," said Barnes.

Michael flushed. This was a directness of speech for which he was not
prepared.

"But when I first told you,"