cle Mathew talked, and
then, quite suddenly, stopping under a lamp-post as though within the
circle of light his charm were stronger, he said:

"I suppose, Mr. Warlock, you wouldn't do me the great, the extreme,
honour of dining with myself and my niece at my humble little inn
to-night? A little sudden--I hope you'll forgive the discourtesy--but
knowing your father--"

Martin looked straight into Maggie's eyes.

"Oh, please do!" she said, her heart beating, as it seemed, against her
eyes so that she dropped them.

"Well--" he hesitated. "It's very good of you, Mr. Cardinal--very kind.
As a matter of fact I was going to dine alone to-night--just a chop,
you know, somewhere--if it's really not inconvenient I'll be
delighted--"

They walked on together.

As they passed into Garrick Street, she knew that she had never in all
her life been so glad to be with any one, that she had never so
completely trusted any one, that she would like to be with him often,
to look after him, perhaps, and to be looked after by him.

Her feeling for him was almost sexless, because she had never thought,
as most girls do, of love and the intrigue and coquetry of love. She
was so simple as to be shameless, and at once, if he had asked her then
in the street to marry him she would have said yes without hesitation
or fear, or any analysis. She would like to look after him as well as
herself--there were things she was sure that she could do for him--and
she would be no burden to him because she intended, in any case, to
lead her own life. She would simply lead it with a companion instead of
without one.

He must have felt as he walked with her this trust and simplicity. She
was certainly the most extraordinary girl whom he had ever met, and
he'd met a number ...

He could believe every word she said; he had never known any one so
direct and simple and honest, and yet with that she was not a fool, as
most honest girls were. No, she was not a fool. He would have given
anything to be as sure of himself ...

She was plain--but then was she? As they passed beneath the light of a
street lamp his heart gave a sudden beat. Her face was so GOOD, her
eyes so true, her mouth so strong. She was like a boy, rather--and, of
course, she was dressed badly. But he wanted to look after her. He was
sure that she knew so little of the world and would be so easily
deceived ...But who was he to look after any one?

He knew that she would trust him utterl