ne back!"

"And look, there's a nasty patch of something just on your shoulder."

"Ah, that's japanning; it rubbed off the clamps of poor Jack's coffin
when we lowered him from our shoulders upon the bier! I don't care about
that, for 'twas the last deed I could do for him; and 'tis hard if you
can't afford a coat for an old friend."

Fancy put her hand to her mouth for half a minute. Underneath the palm
of that little hand there existed for that half-minute a little yawn.

"Dick, I don't like you to stand there in the wet. And you mustn't sit
down. Go home and change your things. Don't stay another minute."

"One kiss after coming so far," he pleaded.

"If I can reach, then."

He looked rather disappointed at not being invited round to the door. She
twisted from her seated position and bent herself downwards, but not even
by standing on the plinth was it possible for Dick to get his lips into
contact with hers as she held them. By great exertion she might have
reached a little lower; but then she would have exposed her head to the
rain.

"Never mind, Dick; kiss my hand," she said, flinging it down to him.
"Now, good-bye."

"Good-bye."

He walked slowly away, turning and turning again to look at her till he
was out of sight. During the retreat she said to herself, almost
involuntarily, and still conscious of that morning's triumph--"I like
Dick, and I love him; but how plain and sorry a man looks in the rain,
with no umbrella, and wet through!"

As he vanished, she made as if to descend from her seat; but glancing in
the other direction she saw another form coming along the same track. It
was also that of a man. He, too, was in black from top to toe; but he
carried an umbrella.

He drew nearer, and the direction of the rain caused him so to slant his
umbrella that from her height above the ground his head was invisible, as
she was also to him. He passed in due time directly beneath her, and in
looking down upon the exterior of his umbrella her feminine eyes
perceived it to be of superior silk--less common at that date than
since--and of elegant make. He reached the entrance to the building, and
Fancy suddenly lost sight of him. Instead of pursuing the roadway as
Dick had done he had turned sharply round into her own porch.

She jumped to the floor, hastily flung off her shawl and bonnet, smoothed
and patted her hair till the curls hung in passable condition, and
listened. No knock. Nearly