Poppy

gorgeously attired in a hat massed with roses of a shade that "never was on land or sea," and a furiously befrilled gown of sky-blue silk-muslin. But her f

w with my lunch. Send Piccani

erself into another, and stared at a t

stand!' Yes, I understand well enough! Just like the rotter to study her own conve

k boy in a blue twill tunic and short blue knickers above

signified yes, ordered him to fetch it then and be checcha. In the m

ted with rings of raw onion. Miss Cornell, however, ate heartily, and enjoyed a whiskey-and-soda. She then proceede

w, I'd like to know?" and the

oft knock. Miss Cornell's hands slipped to her hair, the scowl d

me

with a white fichu over her shoulders falling in long ends below her waist. Her large white-straw hat had ro

soft, entrancing voice. "I am sor

d Sophie affably; "I'm

that it must surely be paste, decided that her visitor must be "hard up." She (Sophie) had not much of an opinion of that "black rag of a

you would be so good as to do a little typing for me-" She indicated a tiny

uldn't be bothered with that sort of thing. I'm sek

nd did not seem overwhelmed by the

her!" said

ell becam

work than I know how to get through already

ther girl. "I wonder

girl looking for work, and that air of gentle insolence that Sophie had been conscious of, was, after all, only "side" stuck on like t

n't know, I'm su

t I daresay I c

ve you much salary if y

aw the other's look of amazement: "At least, not for some months. If you woul

satisfaction. Her haughty air departed and she beamed with delight.

ground," she declared joyf

ering smile. "Oh, I couldn't come to

took on the absorbed look of a person who is rapidly

so much if you wouldn't mind prete

girl looke

I don't quit

to talk about my private affairs if it's no good. There's nothing in the reason for pretending that you need object

nt, then her lovely lilac eyes

dd answer, but Sophie was no acu

old aunt who'd get me to support her. Well, all right now

will only be for a few hours daily; sometimes

Have a whiskey-and-soda

said "Lilac Eyes"; "but I am very thirs

ng another glass, and pushed the

affably; "but I hope you're not on

f I want to-bu

rnell looked piously at the ceiling. The other girl, who had ne

pen-work stocking through which to lilac-coloured eyes her legs looked as though they were painted red. Piccanin meanwhile removed from the room the luncheon

aid Miss Cornell. "First of all, y

oment under white lids, and a fain

lind

and you can call me Sophie if you like. Sophi

Chard in her gentl

I left home. First, I went to stay with my sister in Kimberley. Have you ever been to Kimberley? Man! I tell you

rd shook

the utmost pity and contempt. "Well, but you're an Eng

a week

you've got a

r pocket and lit one. She then offered the packe

re not half a good fellow! Well, tak

-up crown of black, black hair; also, the peculiar branching way in which it grew above the girl's brows. ("I wonder if

k of; then my sister's husband must needs go off and buy a rotten old farm at the back of nowhere-Barkly East, if you love

t. At the moment Sophie reminded her of nothing so mu

u came her

way he used to bully me when I didn't get through it! And then complained of my spelling, if you please. I didn't stay with him any longer than I could help, you bet, though the screw was good. But I must tell you, such fun-just as I was going to leave him I discovered from his correspondence that he was going up t

to be with the old snook, but Sop

ctedly, "that you would rather live with your old au

y anything at all as far as h

l me some more of your interesting adventures, and

ndow, round the room, at the pictures on the wall, at the typewriter-anywhe

ote last week to a pal of mine up in Jo-burg, and told her to come and join me. She promised, and I expected her right up till to-day, when I got a telegram, if you please, to say that she'd got something better. Wasn't that a low-down trick? And after I had told Brookfield and Bra

to him and to the other ma

rnell's glanc

ere's such tons to do ... and I ca

watched h

pretend that I live here, and a

me.... They don't think that I ought to live alone here, and all that so

d looked

strange men! I didn't suppose yo

ook came over Mi

lling you everything?" she demanded angrily, b

e said. To her surprise, the other girl a

, he is entirely my property; he's crazily in love with me, and he won't bother you at all. Neither will Brammie, if it comes to that. He is an awfully nice man-everybody likes him, and he's

asked Miss Chard calmly, watch

ndly interest in me, and all that-and, you see, as he employs me as

able to fathom it at present. However, after listening to another long description of Mr. Bra

hie, ready to open up anothe

t Brookie, I absolut

"But he knows that you wer

key and as old as the sea. And now I must go, or my-aunt will be looking for me. I shall

t, and don't get back until above five in the afternoon. But I'll bring you all the MSS. there is no immedi

the chair in front of her, where she had hooked them for extra ease and comfort. Inadvertently she listened for the click of the gate. But the gate did not click. Mis

icately smoking a cigarette and brushing all traces of dust from her thin bl

o be able to go through her garden whenever I want to make a little excursion into the world ... and, of course, I couldn't be there without some right or reason ... besides, it will be splendid to le

m, the tawdrinesses had been removed, flowers were everywhere, and a fine vine in a long glass crept delicately up the side of the mirror above the mantel.

he place was furnished when I came into it a

osure, some quite new; all were autographed and inscribed. Some of the inscriptions ran thus: "From your loving Jack"; "To the best girl I know"; "To one of the best from one of the worst," etc. It was to be observed that the most ardent mots were merely initialled. But Sophie was

an would have given me the boots off his feet ... but there-he had no money; what

y lovely ones.... Someone told me he was a 'cashier' in the Army ... but that was silly, of course ... there are no such things as cashi

over. The women were all crazy after him, but he told me he didn't give a pin for any of them except me.... He wanted me to run away with him ... but he had a wife in a lunatic asylum ... obliged to a

love with me ... everybody said so ... he told me I was the only girl who could ever keep him straight ... but he behaved rather badly.... I always believe some snake of a woman made mischief ... and when he went t

elen of Troy II had come to town-unless they had been long enough in South Africa to realise that

n who formed the army of admirers and adorers and desirers she could not pluck up the faintest kind of interest. It seemed to her that it was impossible that an

pleasantly and looks like the real thing. Sophie's surface, no doubt, had an attractive glitter, but Poppy felt sure that if anyone with the time and inclination for such occupation had ventured to