got to come."

Then he seized her by the arm, and, still lurching from side to side,
began to move away.

"No, no," she whispered, obviously terrified of a scene, but using all
her strength to resist. Her eyes again met Breton's.

"That lady," he said, advancing to the stout gentleman, "is a friend of
mine."

The man looked at him with an expression astonished, simply and rather
puzzled.

"Wash--wash...?" he said.

"You'll be so good as to leave that lady alone."

"Well, I'm b----well damned. Oh! gosh." The stout gentleman
contemplated him with furious amazement.

"'Oo the b----'ell I'd like to know? Get out or I'll kick yer out."

The quarrel had by now gathered its crowd.

The stout gentleman, lurching forward, aimed a blow at Breton which
missed him.

"Let her alone, do you hear?" cried Breton.

The stout gentleman, amazed, apparently, at a world that defied all the
probabilities, turned, caught the girl by the body and, dragging her
with him, pushed past his opponent.

Breton seized him by the waist, turned him round so that, with a little
puzzled gasp, he half fell, half sat upon the cushioned seat against the
wall.

Then Breton offered the girl his arm and walked away with her, conscious
that an attendant had arrived rather late upon the scene and was now
abusing the stout gentleman, whilst a sympathetic little crowd listened
and advised.

He walked down the stairs with the girl. "That _was_ decent of you," she
said. "Most awfully----"

Beyond the doors the world was a hissing, spurting deluge of rain.

A cab was called and she climbed into it.

"What about coming back?" she said. He shook his head.

"Not to-night. You have a good rest. That's what you want."

"Well, I _am_ done. Meet 'nother night p'raps----"

"I hope so," he said politely. He raised his hat and the cab splashed
away.

"Another cab, sir?" said the commissionaire.

"No, thanks," said Breton, and plunged out into the rain. The air was
fresh and cool. Streams of water danced and spurted on the gleaming
pavements.

Breton walked along. The little adventure had swept completely from his
mind his earlier desperate decisions.

There were still things for him to do! Poor little girl ... he was glad
that he had been there! What a fool he had been all these weeks, sitting
there, letting himself go to pieces because the world had gone badly!
What sort of a creature was he? Well, he was some good yet. Just one
twist of the