They wouldn't take liberties with you."

"Not unless I wanted them to," said Sally, abruptly sober. "They
wouldn't try it on. None of the girls ever worry me. When I first came
they did. They were saucy. I soon stopped that. I got a tongue, and they
found it out. Now Miss Summers----"

"Don't let's talk about the business," pleaded Gaga. Sally was arrested.

"Funny!" she exclaimed. "We haven't, have we!"

"It's so much nicer being ... friends."

One of Gaga's hands was stretched across the table. With a sense of
mischief Sally allowed him to take her own hand. Then she moved it
quickly.

"They're looking at us," she whispered to him. "Those waitress girls."
Instantly she was free. She had the thought that a real man would have
held her hand for a moment longer. All the same, she enjoyed her power
over Gaga. The little unreadable smile that so excited him was upon her
face, and the knowledge of power was in her heart.

They sat for a little while over coffee; and then Sally began to put on
her gloves. A few minutes later they were out in the dark street, and
pausing to discover the points of the compass. As they stood, a great
gust of wind came sweeping along from the southeast, and at its onset
the two became strangely embraced, Gaga's arm being round Sally, and the
brim of her hat against his breast. They both laughed, and Sally stood
upright; but she did not move so violently that Gaga must withdraw his
arm. She was amused and elated at contact with him. Gaga, encouraged,
drew her closer.

"Oo!" murmured Sally. She let him see her laughing face.

Gaga, very excited, lowered his head. Sally jerked her own head upon one
side with lightning speed, and felt his lips clumsily upon her ear.
Twice he kissed her convulsively hugging her to his side. Then Sally,
rather breathless, but not at all discomposed, pulled herself away.

"Now, now; that's enough," she said. They were both grinning; but of the
two only Sally was cool. She could tell that Gaga was trembling
slightly, and when a little later they parted he held her hand for a
long time, and sought timidly to draw her to him again for another kiss.
Sally, however, ignored the pressure, and left him standing in the
yellow shop and street lights, while she rode securely homeward in her
omnibus. Her last glimpse was of newspaper bills lying upon the
pavement, and of men and women in motion against the lights, and Gaga
standing watching her out of sight. Then she