Hawtrey's Deputy

neasily expectant far back under the gallery of a concert hall in an English manufacturing town. She could not hear very well there, but it was the cheapest place she could obtain, and eco

in aria from a great composer's oratorio, and she leaned further forward in her chair when a

shimmering corn-straw tint, but when she stood looking at the audience Miss Rawlinson noticed a hint of tension in her expression. A

of appreciation when the clear notes thrilled through the close-packed hall. No one could doubt that the first part of the aria was a success, for half-subdued applause broke out when the voice sank into si

ull tones that was too much for our soprano when we tried it at the choral union. Miss Ismay's very true in inton

ote, full and even, but she could see the singer's face, and there was no doubt whatever that she was making a strenuous effort. Nobody else, however, seemed to notice it, for Winifred flung a swift glance round, and then fixed her eyes upon the dominant figure in the corn-straw dress tha

houlder, and struck a ringing chord while he waited for a sign, and there was a curious stirring among the audience. The girl in the shimmering dress

and turned upon the young man ne

ly; "can't you let me

d just witnessed would bring about a crisis in her and her friend's affairs. For all that, she was unpleasantly conscious of the leak in one rather shabby boot when she stepped down from the sidewalk to cross the street, and when she opened her umbrella beneath a gas lamp she pursed up her mouth. There were a couple of holes in it near where the

here's dear Jemima o

nd determined, and, it must be admitted, n

he said. "There's a polic

them. "The Dook has another e

music-hall, where the second "house" was probably commencing, while Winifred, who had stepped into

icer," she said

r he had, at least, appeared promptly when he was needed; and perhaps he attached no great importance to the matter. There is a good deal that the policem

d the opposite side of it. The girl sloughed off her waterproof, and rather flung than hung it on a peg behind the door, after which she sat down in a low chair beside the little fire. She was not a handsome girl, and it was evident that she did not trouble herself g

a few scones, a coffee-pot, and a tin of condensed milk from a cupboard. When she had spread them out upon a table she discovered that there was som

clock when I had that bun

e. She was, however, not singular in this respect, since the practice of such self-denial is, unfortunately, not a very unu

stopped to glance at a little framed photograph that stood upon the mantel. It was a po

away out yonder," she said. "You'r

usly with a hairpin. As this appeared unavailing she used her forefinger, and when at length the carriage slid along the rod with a clash there was a smear of grimy oil upon her cheek and her somewhat tilted nose. The machine, how

in. She permitted Winifred to take it from her, and then sank down into a

, and Agatha Ismay, wrappe

ing late aga

ence the thousand words you have to work unusually hard, especially when, as it is in this case, the thing's practically unreadab

table purpose of giving her companion time to approach the subject that must be mentio

d, "you know. Yo

ds her quietly, for s

oing to talk about it until you have had s

k care that her companion, who did not seem inclined to eat, made a simple

at throat specialist said you would. The first questi

. "I didn't tell you everything at t

arned me that this might happen if I went on singing, but what could I do? I couldn't cancel my enga

lf-bitter, half-weary smile of those to whom the cure prescrib

ency-we won't say comfort-and they're evidently to be subject to a big reduction. It strikes me as a rather curious coincidenc

Agatha's eyes, and s

e enough upon your mind this evening. I don't know if they're likel

ble, and Agatha straightened herself suddenly in

"he wants me to

oment, but it relaxed again, and

I suppose you'll certainly go. After all, he's p

en compelled to compete in an overcrowded market with hard-driven men. She was, however,

ht to be, and I dare say it will ease your feelings if you talk about him again; at least, it will help y

ct, which she would not always admit, for her companion's shrewdness. She meant to go, but sh

gory since I was

w weeks once a year. After all, that isn't a very great deal. It seems he fell in love with you, which

a, "you have nev

st admit that he's reasonably good-looking. In fact, I've seen quite an assortmen

lean, sanguine temperament of a man, his im

to credit a man with a face like that with qualities he didn't possess." Then she sat down again with a thoughtful expression. "The fact is, you set him up on a pedestal and burned incense to him when you were not old enough to know any better, and when he came home for a

ris

is a long time, and the man may have changed. In a new country where

that the sunny-tempered, brilliant young man whom she had given her heart to could have

you. You have learned to see things more clearly, and acquired a different standard from the one you had then. One ca

a moment, and her

is out to you, and now there's only another thing to say: s

on of relief in her expression, for the two had be

that gets over th

n't pay one ninepence a thousand words in Winnipeg. Besides, I could keep the books at a store or hotel, and at the very worst Gregory could, perhaps, find a husband for me. Women, one under

the typewriter, and then turned to Agatha with a wi

his one. It would all be int

ared adverse fortune and loneliness, and she was filled with a gentle compassion, for

said, "we wil

d letter, which she had f

ed and beaten-and now, though my voice has probably gone for good, I don't seem to mind. Isn't it alm

d have expected. You wrote the man in Canada soon after you'd seen th

idn't write the fo

days ago. I ventured to point out their duty to them,

bably wouldn't have the least effect if I scolded you. I believe I'm horribly worn out, Winny, and it

her companion's chair gazed straight in front of her. They were both of the