occasion, that Gertie saw Mr. Trew on the box seat
of his small brown omnibus coming along from the Great Central Station;
he was preparing to flourish a cheery salute, when he caught sight of
her companion. Almost dropping his whip, he gave his head a jerk to
send the shining silk hat well back, and thus give relief to a suddenly
heated brain.

Mrs. Mills was waiting on the Friday evening, some doors east of her
own shop; Gertie's new friend did not wait for instructions from his
companion, but left her instantly.

"Who's looking after the counter, aunt?"

"Mr. Bulpert," replied the other, panting. "I've give him a cigar to
stick in his face. He wants to see you. And I want to see you, too.
Who is that you were talking to?"

"The elderly man I told you about. The one who always waits now to see
me part of the distance home. Quite a character in his way."

"Quite a bad character," snapped Mrs. Mills.

"Do you know him?"

Her aunt gave a gulp. "I had the word from Mr. Trew," she said, still
rather breathless, "and his idea is that you may as well know it now as
later on. That man is your father, my dear--your father; and the less
you see of him the better. Now, perhaps, you can realize why I knew it
was no use letting you carry on with Mr. Douglass. It was bound to
come out some day!"

"My father," said the girl slowly and thoughtfully.

"Your very own, dearie. Don't let it upset you more than you can help.
I know you've a good deal to put up with just now. Come along and see
Mr. Bulpert. A little sweethearting talk will cheer you up."

Bulpert admitted he had one or two questions to put; but on Gertie
ordering that they should be offered there and then, he said, gloomily,
that some other time would do as well. The girl told him the news just
communicated by her aunt, and waited hopefully for the comment; Bulpert
remarked, with an indulgent air, that it took all sorts to make a
world, and he thought no worse of Gertie because of the fact that she
possessed a parent with a spotted record. He offered to see her father
and give him a definitely worded warning; the girl answered that the
matter could be left in her hands.

"But we don't want him to be a drain on us," he contended. "I know
what these individuals are like. Species of blackmail, that's what it
amounts to. And I don't wish to see you working your fingers to the
bone, and a certain proportion of the money earned being paid out to
h