Spring Days

Lizzie Baker had disappeared, and in the year and a half that he spent in Paris learning to draw he forgot her and his friends in Southwick.

r Willy? I haven't see

me see, I have got it down somewhe

g up; better com

ng men

nearly a yea

ing? I am staying at Morley's Hotel, Trafal

e stroked his mous

afraid I can't. I h

t believe you. Wh

me cheques

a moment. You can d

my books and my own pen. I wouldn't w

go to a music-

but I really could

in for amusi

ssure you I would sooner stay at home, write my chequ

azement. Then he said: "But what's that you h

of mutton; I have ju

at the stores, and carry them home? Su

ouse in Notting Hill. I take the 'bus at the Circus. I shal

ask about her

rrow. I can't give you one of your restaurant dinners, but if leg

whenever

come to

go to the theat

at half-past six, that wil

"Can't come and dine with me because he has two or three cheques to write, must have all his book

little house, and he commented on his f

, and you took, I don't mind betting, half an hour longer. Now, don't make a mess, do wipe

ow, never entered, barren and blank; there was the room-a little more alive-where Willy smoked his pipe and kept his accounts, but there the crumbs

another burning out in light and riches; timeworn truths float on the surface of this little pool of life, and so modernised are they that they appear for a moment "new and original." But further than a regret that there were no flowers in the window, and a sense of the horrible when his eyes fell on a piece of Swiss scenery, his thoughts did

and put her arms round his neck. He kissed the long face, hollow-eye

ave felt any shame had he caught sight of some face in the stalls he knew. He would not have put Cissy aside; nor would he have pretended that he was not with the pale, worn, shabbily-dressed woman by his side. He was wholly filled

become of her? Sh

her all of a sudden, didn't you? Do you

k her up the river, up to Reading. We had such a jolly day in the woods and on the water-amid t

he water. I never go on the water

h, we had a

our letter that she had left the bar; but she must have gone somewhere.

the bar.' It is very pitiful. In such circumstances how do you expect a girl to keep straight? I do not think it is the men who do the harm. There are, of course, a few blackguards who crack filthy jokes over the counter, but if a girl likes she needn't listen-a girl can always keep a man in his place. Then if a man flirts with a girl he always loves her, likes her, if you think 'like' a better word; but you must admit that in the most beery flirtation there must be a certain amount of liking. There is, therefore, something to save a

ntended to write. I forget what it was about, but

her to throw over the man who loves her; he follows her, never loses sight of her until at last, determin

great gravity. "I really can't say, my dear fellow; you know I

e to a pause, and Wi

quarter of a note wr

an hear the difference! I wish you had your

the missus

a pretty tune, isn't it? Good old days they were! Do you remember whe

didn't marry her; I never h

used to dress myself up to go to the theatre? We used to go to sup

go to the theat

it had not been for you. I don't know how it is,

ing. Presently Fran

right on the Stock Exchange. Yo

ay. Times are very bad just now. I do

ry good firm. Nothing

e have all been hard hit lately-war scare

at do you, with your handsome place at Southwick, and your father with h

ers. If I were to make a good thing out of this, I should be able to leave the missus independent." Then, after a slight pause, Willy said: "But, by th

t ba

at Henfield-a county

It should be rather

worse luck, to ch

l the governor let

am going down to-morrow by the twelve o'c

o home now

r sleep here and get up early in th

get back to the Temple, pack up, and

; you are too late for the train, and

hing that worries me is not being

She won't mind-I'll

ve o'clock at