ng
on? Micky, I've told Esther so much about you, she's sick to death of
the sound of your name."

"I never said so," Esther protested quickly.

"Have some cake," Micky said; he deposited a slice on June's plate and
adroitly changed the subject. He was furiously angry; he had not
believed that Esther had it in her to turn on him as she had done. But
the more she snubbed him, the more determined he was not to be
snubbed. As he sat there stirring his tea and listening to June's
chatter he was watching Esther all the time.

She had taken off her coat now. He wondered if it was the coat his
money had bought her; it was not half good enough, anyway. He thought
of the furs and expensive gloves which Marie Deland wore, and he
longed to be able to give some to this little girl who sat there with
such angry defiance in her eyes.

He realised that this pride of hers was going to be the hardest
barrier of all between them.

She could not forgive him because he was a rich man and had pretended
to be poor; she could not forget that he had paid for her dinner and a
saucer of milk for the cat. He looked down to where Charlie sat
blinking in the firelight, and a little smile crossed his face. He
wondered if perhaps some day soon she would offer to repay him for
that night--if she would insist on doing so, as she had insisted on
paying her share of everything with June.

"More tea?" June demanded across the table, and Micky said,
"Oh--er--yes, thanks," hurriedly. As long as the meal was unfinished
Esther would have to stay in the room, he thought; she could not very
well leave before; but in this he was mistaken, for Esther put her cup
down almost at once and looked at June.

"Will you think me very rude if I run away?" she asked. "I've got to
see Mrs. Elders and tell her I am staying on--I think she has been
trying to let my room."

June looked disappointed. "Oh, well, if you really must go," she said.
"Come back when you've seen her."

"Thank you," said Esther. She turned to Micky, who had risen. "I won't
say good-bye, then," she said with an effort to speak lightly.

He held open the door for her, and a moment later she had gone. As
soon as he came back to his chair June rounded on him.

"What have you said to annoy her?" She looked quite angry! "I wanted
you to like each other. Really, Micky, you are the limit! She won't
come back again, you see if she does."

"No," said Micky. "I don't think she will." He laughed a