enough, and it had gone all the way home. She had not surmised that he
would have heard aught of her own concerns. She only barely connected
him with that Roger Carbury who, she knew, was Paul's great friend,
and she had as yet never heard that Hetta Carbury was the girl whom
Paul loved. Had Paul so talked about her that this young scamp should
know all her story?

She thought awhile,--she had to think for a moment,--before she could
answer him. 'I do not see,' she said, with a faint attempt at a smile,
'that there is any parallel between the two cases. I, at any rate, am
old enough to take care of myself. Should he not marry me, I am as I
was before. Will it be so with that poor girl if she allows herself to
be taken about the town by you at night?' She had desired in what she
said to protect Ruby rather than herself. What could it matter whether
this young man was left in a belief that she was, or that she was not,
about to be married?

'If you'll answer me, I'll answer you,' said Sir Felix. 'Does Mr
Montague mean to make you his wife?'

'It does not concern you to know,' said she, flashing upon him. 'The
question is insolent.'

'It does concern me,--a great deal more than anything about Ruby can
concern you. And as you won't answer me, I won't answer you.'

'Then, sir, that girl's fate will be upon your head.'

'I know all about that,' said the baronet.

'And the young man who has followed her up to town will probably know
where to find you,' added Mrs Hurtle.

To such a threat as this, no answer could be made, and Sir Felix left
the room. At any rate, John Crumb was not there at present. And were
there not policemen in London? And what additional harm would be done
to John Crumb, or what increase of danger engendered in that true
lover's breast, by one additional evening's amusement? Ruby had danced
with him so often at the Music Hall that John Crumb could hardly be
made more bellicose by the fact of her dining with him on this
evening. When he descended, he found Ruby in the hall, all arrayed.
'You don't come in here again to-night,' said Mrs Pipkin, thumping the
little table which stood in the passage, 'if you goes out of that
there door with that there young man.'

'Then I shall,' said Ruby linking herself on to her lover's arm.

'Baggage! Slut!' said Mrs Pipkin; 'after all I've done for you, just
as one as though you were my own flesh and blood.'

'I've worked for it, I suppose;--haven't I?' rejoi