where it will end? I
know! I know! And I don't care! See that? The sooner the better!" Her
sudden violence was that of rebellion against something akin to fear
which this strange picturesque-looking man threatened to inspire in
her--and it formed no part of her poor philosophy to fear men.

Paul took her hand and held it firmly. "Little chance acquaintance," he
said, "was there never anyone in the world whom you loved?--never anyone
who was good to you?" She turned aside from him, making no reply. "If
ever there was such a one tell me."

The cab had already reached the Square, and now the man pulled up before
a large apartment-house, and the girl withdrew her hand and rose. "It's
no good," she said. "It's no good. I think you mean to be kind, but
you're wasting your time. Good night."

"I have not finished," replied Paul, opening the door for her. "I am
coming to see where you live before I say good night."

He followed her out, directing the man to wait and smiling grimly at the
thought of his own counsel to Flamby anent giving the world cause for
suspicion.

* * * * *

The room in which Paul found himself was on the first floor, over
looking the square, and was well but conventionally furnished. A fire
blazed in the grate, and the draped mantelpiece was decorated with a
number of photographs of junior officers, many of them autographed. His
companion, who said her name was Kitty Chester, had discarded her
raincoat and hat, and now stood before the fire arrayed in a smart plaid
skirt and a white silk blouse, cut very low. She had neat ankles and a
slim figure, but her hands betrayed the fact that she had done manual
work at some time in her career. She was much more haggard than he had
been able to discern her to be in the dim light of the cab lamp. Taking
a cigarette from a box upon the table she lighted it and leaned back
against the mantelpiece.

"Well," she said, "another blank day;" and obviously she was trying to
throw off the spell which Paul had almost succeeded in casting upon her
in the cab. "Barred the Empire, barred the Alhambra, and now the old Pav
is a thing of the past, too. I never thought I should find myself
blowing through the rain all dressed up and nowhere to go."

Paul watched her silently for a moment. In Kitty Chester he recognised
the answer to his doubts, and because that answer was yet incomplete,
his genius responded and was revivified. As of old the