Flames

is friend which he had never sounded. The cause of the dawning of this consideration lay in Cuckoo's strange assertion and fear of Valentine, prim

or move in a wrong direction, and yet be inspired by some subtlety in the character that awakens it, and prompts it, and drives it forward. Julian thought that he found a reason for Cuckoo's aversion in Valentine's lofty refinement, which would naturally jar upon her nature of the streets. For her pathos, her better impulses, which had touched him and

roved this. And this fear of a woman reminded Julian of the fear exhibited towards Valentine by Rip, a terror which sti

nspiring person, Valenti

looked s

he answered. "Who

p, for one, and-and that g

s she

't ima

her at her ease,

k up an envelope that was lying there.

e said. "Have you forgotten th

eally got a box f

ean to invite

ed with his us

do you think

he will be amusing comp

your rea

will come,

ked rather

ow," he sai

her. Do give it to her yourself. I can't be thought

consciously twisted the note they held

rn it up," Julian

ye

paused,

er by word of mouth.

ill

the proposition her face shone with gratification, for he gave the invitation without mentioni

going alon

ox, you see. We sh

O

explanation, an obvio

ll is coming with

d face. Cuckoo shook her head and pursed he

think I'll go.

taught by many a well-founded distrust, to rely upon its own feebleness, rather than upon the probably brutal strength of others. She was difficult to

n would be proud to go w

s much about men as

whatever about him.

pressive twist of her thin, rather pretty fa

us instinct to its source, believing, like many people, that th

y. "I want you to try to tell me what

erything

rd. For instance, it

t

wonderfully

I hate his fa

nst one in the street. But he thought it best to abandon Valentine's appea

ou," he said, as h

d her head w

r go with you on Saturd

nd

to produce a considera

finger going up to her under li

ly, t

ith me? He's-he's not

sual! I shou

wants me

was impressed

very

oo, mightily at Valentine's vagary of desire. S

y with me a

of c

me? Not alone w

't be so

tion sprang

in?" she said. "He-

ly to read his verdict on her poorly smart gown. Julian, pleased at his apparent victory, now ventured

er tangled head, "don't be silly. I have never given you anything, and if we are to b

"But black! I sha

N

'm thin now; not as I was when I-well, before I started. Ah, I looked differ

t skirt, the effusive bugles, that made a scarecrow of her. But he had a

you a black

ow," she interposed. "The

at to match the dress, and a fea

ral, that I shall," she expostulated, di

ook splendid.

as treading on the divine qui

to make a little exp

r is it,

e night take-tak

boyishly red, he indicated the art decorat

oked completel

certainly; "don't y

N

ut, I do

us, earth-shaking. She stared into the dingy glass

she muttered, with c

d it, before

es gre

lly different, t

Go and try it now, th

't lik

got up falteringly, and moved towards the bedr

s

el

u won't la

ourse

on't-h

nou

y meanings, that panorama-word, honour. Among thieves, among prostitutes, among murderers, rebels, the lost, the damned of

d the water on floor and walls, and sent the shivering Jessie beneath the bed for shelter. Cuckoo scrubbed and scrubbed, then applied a towel, until he

s

es

you will

Cuckoo,

all r

another woman, or rather girl, oddly young, thin, and haggard certainly, and the reverse of dashing, but pretty, even fascinating, in her shyness. As he looked at her and saw the real red of nature run

d. "Now you

of the mirror, but she refused to lift

gown in her fingers. Her lips began to twitch ominously.

er than ever,"

's all gone

ha

ould do without the pa

on, that suspicion of the hard young harridan, typical

ole lot of men in here," she

. Then the relapse, characteristic of the

said, bursting into sobs; "never you try

ey went out together to see about the making of the new black dress, and before they parted he had persuaded Cuckoo to face the "Empire" multitude on the fateful evening without her panoply of paint and powder. She pleaded hard

the success of his embas

m gl

gown, or the promise wrung from the lady of the feathers. The result springing f