together at the gate, where Gertie had to
rest for a few moments to regain breath. She pointed out that skirts
hampered one; he admitted he ought to have given her fifty yards start.
They took Regent's Park more demurely.

"When you get a colour," he said, "you look like a schoolgirl."

"As a matter of fact, I shan't see twenty again."

"Do you want to?"

"No," she replied candidly; "I'm as happy just now as ever I want to
be. It'll always be something to look back upon."

"I wish," he said with earnestness, "that you wouldn't talk as though
our friendship was only going to be temporary."

"We never know our luck," she remarked. "Aunt was saying only the
other evening, 'Gertie,' she said--Now I've been and let you know my
name."

He repeated it twice quietly to himself.

"Have you been fond of any one before this?" she asked. The girl had
so many questions that her mind jumped from one topic to another.

"Oh yes," he answered. "When I was a schoolboy at Winchester I fell in
love--deeply in love. She was a widow, and kept a confectioner's shop.
Good shop, too."

"Nothing more serious than that?" He shook his head. "Glad I'm the
first," she said. "And I wish my plan for getting you acquainted with
aunt had come off the other night. It would have made it all seem more
legal, somehow."

"We'll manage it," he promised. "Meanwhile, and always, don't forget
that you are my dear sweetheart."

Miss Radford called at Praed Street, inquiring anxiously; and Mrs.
Mills, summoning invention to her aid, said Gertie was not in. Mrs.
Mills followed this up by mentioning that an occasional visit from Miss
Radford could be tolerated, but it was not necessary for her to be
always in and out of the place. Miss Radford, asserting that she never
forced her company upon any one, swung out of the shop; and Mrs. Mills
said to the cat that they did not want too many flighters about.

"Why, Mr. Bulpert!" With a quick change of manner to a newcomer.
"This is a pleasant surprise. Mr. Trew was talking about you not two
days ago."

The young man took the chair near the counter and, giving it a twirl,
sat down heavily, and rested his chin on the back. "I'm putting on too
much avoirdupois," he said gloomily. "Saturday, I had to get into
evening dress, and it was as much as I could do to make the waistcoat
buttons meet."

"You ought to take more exercise."

"What's the use of talking like that? If I take more exe