much breakfast this morning; and that,
with no luncheon--" She let a gesture finish her sentence.

"No luncheon! Why--oh, you couldn't leave your place, of course,"
frowned Billy.

"No, and"--Alice Greggory lifted her head a little proudly--"I do not
care to eat--here." Her scornful eyes were on one of the pieces of pie
down the line--no longer a triangle.

"Of course not," agreed Billy, promptly. She paused, frowned, and
bit her lip. Suddenly her face cleared. "There! the very thing," she
exulted. "You shall have my ticket this afternoon, Miss Greggory, then
you won't have to stay here another minute. Meanwhile, there is an
excellent restaurant--"

"Thank you--no. I couldn't do that," cut in the other, sharply, but in a
low voice.

"But you'll take my ticket," begged Billy.

Miss Greggory shook her head.

"Certainly not."

"But I want you to, please. I shall be very unhappy if you don't,"
grieved Billy.

The other made a peremptory gesture.

"_I_ should be very unhappy if I did," she said with cold emphasis.
"Really, Miss Neilson," she went on in a low voice, throwing an
apprehensive glance at the man ahead, who was apparently absorbed in his
newspaper, "I'm afraid I shall have to ask you to let me go on in my own
way. You are very kind, but there is nothing you can do; nothing. You
were very kind, too, of course, to send the book and the flowers to
mother at Christmas; but--"

"Never mind that, please," interrupted Billy, hurriedly. Billy's head
was lifted now. Her eyes were no longer pleading. Her round little chin
looked square and determined. "If you simply will not take my ticket
this afternoon, you _must_ do this. Go to some restaurant near here and
get a good luncheon--something that will sustain you. I will take your
place here."

"_Miss Neilson!_"

Billy smiled radiantly. It was the first time she had ever seen
Alice Greggory's haughtily cold reserve break into anything like
naturalness--the astonished incredulity of that "Miss Neilson!" was
plainly straight from the heart; so, too, were the amazed words that
followed.

"_You_--will stand _here?_"

"Certainly; I will keep your place. Don't worry. You sha'n't lose it."
Billy spoke with a smiling indifference that was meant to convey the
impression that standing in line for a twenty-five-cent seat was a
daily habit of hers. "There's a restaurant only a little way--right down
there," she finished. And before the dazed Alice Greggory knew qu