r you get it out again the
better. I was an idiot once, I don't deny it; but you cured me of that,
and cured me with a vengeance. You must pardon me for intimating that
from henceforth we are strangers; in the street as elsewhere. I have
resumed my own standing again, which I periled when I ran after you."

Afy turned faint. "How can you speak those cruel words?" gasped she.

"You have called them forth. I was told yesterday that Afy Hallijohn,
dressed up to a caricature, was looking after me again. It won't do,
Afy."

"Oh-o-o-oh!" sobbed Afy, growing hysterical, "and is this to be all my
recompense for the years I have spent pining after you, keeping single
for your sake!"

"Recompense! Oh, if you want that, I'll get my mother to give Jiffin
her custom." And with a ringing laugh, which, though it had nothing
of malice in it, showed Afy that he took her reproach for what it was
worth, Richard turned in at his own gate.

It was a deathblow to Afy's vanity. The worst it had ever received;
and she took a few minutes to compose herself, and smooth her ruffled
feathers. Then she turned and sailed back toward Mr. Jiffin's, her
turban up in the skies and the plume de coq tossing to the admiration of
all beholders, especially of Miss Carlyle, who had the gratification of
surveying her from her window. Arrived at Mr. Jiffin's, she was taken
ill exactly opposite his door, and staggered into the shop in a most
exhausted state.

Round the counter flew Mr. Jiffin, leaving the shopman staring behind
it. What _was_ the matter? What _could_ he do for her?

"Faint--heat of the sun--walked too fast--allowed to sit down for five
minutes!" gasped Afy, in disjointed sentences.

Mr. Jiffin tenderly conducted her through the shop to his parlor. Afy
cast half an eye round, saw how comfortable were its arrangements, and
her symptoms of faintness increased. Gasps and hysterical sobs came
forth together. Mr. Jiffin was as one upon spikes.

"She'd recover better there than in the public shop--if she'd only
excuse his bringing her in, and consent to stop for a few minutes. No
harm could come to her, and West Lynne could never say it. He'd stand
at the far end of the room, right away from her; he'd prop open the
two doors and the windows; he'd call in the maid--anything she thought
right. Should he get her a glass of wine?"

Afy declined the wine by a gesture, and sat fanning herself. Mr. Jiffin
looking on from a respectful distance. Gra