n
Reginald for some one else. In either case he felt utterly powerless to
deal with the difficulty. So like a prudent man he decided to hold his
tongue and let the lady explain herself.

"Love, indeed!" said she, for the third time. "You saucy jackanapes,
you. No, sir, my name's Wrigley!"

She evidently supposed this announcement would fall like a thunderbolt
on the head of her victim, and it disconcerted her not a little when he
merely raised his eyebrows and inclined his head politely.

"Now do you know what I'm come about?" said she.

"No," replied he.

"Yes you do. You needn't think to deceive me, sir. It won't do, I can
tell you."

"I _really_ don't know," said poor Reginald. "Who are you?"

"I'm the lady who ordered the globe and blackboard, and sent two pounds
along with the order to you, Mr Cruden Reginald. There! _Now_ perhaps
you know what I've come for!"

If she had expected Reginald to fly out of the window, or seek refuge up
the chimney, at this announcement, the composure with which he received
the overpowering disclosure must have considerably astonished her.

"Eh?" she said. "Eh? Do you know me now?"

"I have no doubt you are right," said he. "We had more than a hundred
orders for the globes and boards, and expect they will be delivered this
week or next."

"Oh! then you have been imposing on more than me?" said the lady, who
till this moment had imagined she had been the only correspondent of the
Corporation on the subject.

"We've been imposing on no one," said Reginald warmly. "You have no
right to say that, Mrs Wrigley."

His honest indignation startled the good lady.

"Then why don't you send the things?" she demanded, in a milder tone.

"There are a great many orders to attend to, and they have to be taken
in order as we receive them. Probably yours came a good deal later than
others."

"No, it didn't. I wrote by return of post, and put an extra stamp on
too. You must have got mine one of the very first."

"In that case you will be one of the first to receive your globe and
board."

"I know that, young man," said she. "I'm going to take them with me
now!"

"I'm afraid you can't do that," said Reginald. "They are being sent off
from London."

The lady, who had somewhat moderated her wrath in the presence of the
secretary's unruffled politeness, fired up as fiercely as ever at this.

"There! I _knew_ it was a swindle! From London, indeed! Might as well