hat were
responsible for the alteration.

"When I make an appointment I always keep it," he said.

He had almost added "with any one like you," but thought better of it.
"And are you going to let me take you out to tea?" he asked.

She hesitated; she glanced back into the dingy hall behind her.

"I am leaving here to-day," she said. "My box has gone already. If you
will wait a moment ... I would ask you in, but you'd hate it so."

"I'll wait outside," said Micky.

He went down into the street. For the moment he had quite forgotten
all about Ashton and the letter which must by this time be in Esther's
possession.

"And what about Charlie?" he asked whimsically when she joined him.

She smiled, shaking her head.

"I sent him on--in a basket. Nobody wants him here--he only gets
badgered about all day long; so I'm taking him with me. Do you think I
ought not to?"

"I think Charlie is a most fortunate cat," said Micky.

She did not take him seriously.

"I think he will be happier with me anyway," she said "I'm going to
quite a nice boarding-house now. I went out this morning and found
it." She looked up at him with a smile. "I don't think even you would
mind coming to tea there," she said.

"I thought you were going to say mind coming there to live," Micky
told her audaciously. "I've been looking about for fresh diggings; I'm
tired of mine." He stopped and glanced behind him. "Can we get a
tramcar here?"

"I'm not tired," she said quickly.

"Well, I must admit that I am," Micky answered. He hated walking at
the best of times, and he did not like to suggest another taxicab.
"Let's go on top."

They climbed up and found a front seat; there was a working man next
to them smoking shag in a clay pipe; he looked at Micky and Esther
doubtfully, then asked--

"Does your good lady mind smoke, mister?"

Esther flushed.

"I don't mind at all," she said, laughing.

"You got home all right last night, then?" Micky said presently.
"After you had gone I wished I had seen you safely in...."

"It's kind of you, but I was quite all right." There was a note of
constraint in her voice. "I should like to thank you for what you did
for me last night," she said hesitatingly.

"If it hadn't been for you...." She stopped.

Micky did not know what to say.

"Anyway, it's all right now, eh?" he asked presently, with awkward
cheerfulness. "I thought it would be; when things look so black that
they can't possibly look any