nts a mouth as big as a dustbin, if you're a-goin' to catch the
end."

When the wine arrived Charlie Dixon breathed a sigh of relief, as he
recognised in its foam and amber an old friend with which he had
become acquainted in France.

"Oh! what is it?" cried Millie, clasping her hands in excitement.

"Champagne!" said Charlie Dixon.

"Oh, Charlie!" cried Millie, gazing at her lover in proud wonder.
"Isn't it--isn't it most awfully expensive?"

Charlie Dixon laughed. Bindle looked at him quizzically.

"Ain't 'e a knockout?" he cried. "Might be a dook a-orderin' champagne
as if it was lemonade, or a 'aporth an' a pen'orth."

"But ought I to drink it, Uncle Joe?" questioned Millie doubtfully,
looking at the bubbles rising through the amber liquid.

"If you wants to be temperance you didn't ought to----"

"I don't, Uncle Joe," interrupted Millie eagerly; "but father----"

"That ain't nothink to do with it," replied Bindle. "You're grown up
now, Millikins, an' you got to decide things for yourself."

And Millie Hearty drank champagne for the first time.

When coffee arrived, Charlie Dixon, who had been singularly quiet
during the meal, exploded his mine. It came about as the result of
Bindle's enquiry as to how long his leave would last.

"Ten days," he replied, "and--and I want----" He paused hesitatingly.

"Out with it, young feller," demanded Bindle. "Wot is it that you
wants?"

"I want Millie to marry me before I go back." The words came out with
a rush.

Millie looked at Charlie Dixon, wide-eyed with astonishment; then, as
she realised what it really was he asked, the blood flamed to her
cheeks and she cast down her eyes.

"Oh! but I couldn't, Charlie. Father wouldn't let me, and--and----"

Bindle looked at Charlie Dixon.

"Millie, you will, won't you, dear?" said Charlie Dixon. "I've got to
go back in ten days, and--and----"

"Oh, Charlie, I--I----" began Millie, then her voice broke.

"Look 'ere, you kids," broke in Bindle. "It ain't no good you two
settin' a-stutterin' there like a couple of machine-guns; you know
right enough that you both want to get married, that you was made for
each other, that you been lying awake o' nights wonderin' when you'd
'ave the pluck to tell each other so, and 'ere you are----" He broke
off. "Now look 'ere, Millikins, do you want to marry Charlie Dixon?"

Millie's wide-open eyes contracted into a smile.

"Yes, Uncle Joe, please," she answered demurely.

"N