."

"Shows what I can do when I try," answered the artist. "However, the
tea is shockingly bad."

"What can you expect for one and sevenpence halfpenny per pound?" cried
Will.

"How do _you_ know what she pays?"

Warburton's answer was another peal of merriment.

"Well, I shouldn't wonder," Franks went on. "The fact is, you know,
they're very poor. It's a miserable sort of a life for a girl like
Bertha Cross. She's clever, in her way; did you ever see any of her
work? Children's book-illustrating? It's more than passable, I assure
you. But of course she's wretchedly paid. Apart from that, a really
nice girl."

"So this is what you had to tell me?" said Warburton, in a subdued
voice, when the speaker hesitated.

"I wanted to talk about it, old man, that's the truth."

Franks accompanied these words with a shy smiling look of such friendly
appeal that Will felt his hard and surly humour begin to soften, and
something of the old geniality stirring under the dull weight that had
so long oppressed him.

"I suppose it's settled," he asked, staring at the fire.

"Settled? How?"

"When it comes to meetings at Kew Gardens--"

"Oh don't misunderstand," exclaimed Franks nervously, "I told you that
it was with the mother I made the appointment--not with Bertha herself.
I'm quite sure Bertha never heard a word of it."

"Well, it comes to the same thing."

"Not at all! I half wish it did."

"Half?" asked Warburton, with a quick glance.

"Can't you see that I haven't really made up my mind," said Franks,
fidgeting in his chair. "I'm not sure of myself--and I'm still less
sure of her. It's all in the air. I've been there perhaps half a dozen
times--but only like any other acquaintance. And, you know, she isn't
the kind of girl to meet one half way. I'm sorry you don't know her.
You'd be able to understand better.--Then, you see, there's something a
little awkward in her position and mine. She's the intimate friend
of--of the other one, you know; at least, I suppose she still is; of
course we haven't said anything about that. It makes misunderstandings
very possible. Suppose she thought I made friends with her in the hope
of getting round to the other again? You see how difficult it is to
judge her behaviour--to come to any conclusion."

"Yes, I see," Warburton let fall, musingly.

"And, even if I were sure of understanding _her_--there's myself. Look
at the position, now. I suppose I may call myself a successful