ill, though it was necessary that it should
be. "Yes, sir," she said shortly, "you were not mistaken, and it is me."

"And what are you doing here?"

"Nothing that isn't right," said Lizzie. "I'm living with my grandmother,
as any one will tell you, and working at my trade."

"Well--that is all right," he said, after a moment's hesitation.

"I don't suppose that you sought me out just for that, sir--to give me
your approbation," the girl said quickly.

"For which you don't care at all," he said, with a half laugh.

"No more than you care for what I'm doing, whether it's good or bad."

"Well," he said, "I suppose so far as that goes we are about even,
Lizzie: though I, for one, should be sorry to hear any harm of you. Do
you ever hear anything--of your mistress--that was?"

She gave him a keen look. All the time her hands were busy with a
little pile of match-boxes, the pretence which was to explain his
presence had any one appeared. "She is--living, if that is what you
mean," Lizzie said.

"Living! Oh yes, I suppose so--at her age. Is she--where she was?"

Lizzie looked at him, again investigating his face keenly, and he at
her. They were like two antagonists in a duel, each on his guard, each
eagerly observant of every point at which he could have an advantage. At
last, "Where was that, sir?" she said. "I don't know where you heard of
her last."

Dick made no answer. It was some moments before he spoke at all. Then,
"Is she in England?" he said.

"I'm not at liberty, sir, to say where she is."

"You know, of course. I can see that in your face. Is she----But perhaps
you don't intend to answer any question I put to you."

"I think not, sir," said Lizzie firmly. "What would be the good? She
don't want you, nor you----"

"Nor I her: it is true," he said. His face became very grave, almost
stern. "I have little reason to wish to know. Still you must be aware
that misery is the end of such a way of life."

"Oh, you need give yourself no trouble about that," cried Lizzie, with
something like scorn; "she is a deal better off and more thought upon
than ever she would have been if----"

"Poor girl!" he said. These words and the tone in which they were spoken
stopped the quick little angry speech that was on Lizzie's lips. She
wavered for a moment, then recovered herself.

"If you please," she said, "to take your matches, sir. It ain't general
for gentlemen like you to come into granny's shop: and we think a