nkly. "What for?"

Mademoiselle Violet leaned a little nearer to him.

"My mistress asked me yesterday," she said, "if I knew anyone who could
be trusted who would go away, at a moment's notice, on an errand for
her."

"Your mistress," he repeated. "You really are a lady's maid, then, are
you?"

"Of course!" she answered impatiently. "Haven't I told you so before?
Now what do you say? Will you go?"

"I dunno," he answered thoughtfully. "If it had been for you, I don't
know that I'd have minded. I ain't fond of traveling."

"It is for me," she interrupted hastily. "If I can find her anyone who
will do what she wants, she will make my fortune. She has promised. And
then--"

"Well, and then?"

Mademoiselle Violet looked at him thoughtfully.

"I should not make any promises," she said demurely, "but things would
certainly be different."

The young man's blood was stirred. Mademoiselle Violet stood to him for
the whole wonderful world of romance, into which he had peered dimly
from behind the counter of an Islington emporium. Her low voice--so
strange to his ears after the shrill chatter of the young ladies of
his acquaintance--the mystery of her coming and going, all went to give
color to the single dream of his unimaginative life. Apart from her, he
was a somewhat vulgar, entirely commonplace young man, of saving habits,
and with some aptitude for business, in a small way. He had been well on
his way to becoming a small but successful shopkeeper, thereby realizing
the only ideals which had yet presented themselves to him, when Madame
Violet had unconsciously intervened. Of what might become of him now he
had no clear conception of himself.

"I'll go!" he declared.

Mademoiselle Violet's eyes flashed behind her veil. Her fingers touched
his for a moment.

"It is a long way," she said.

"I don't care," he answered valiantly.

"To--America!"

"America!" he gasped. "But--is this a joke, Miss Violet?"

She shook her head.

"Of course not! America is not a great journey."

"But it will cost--"

She laughed softly.

"My mistress is very rich," she said. "The cost does not matter at all.
You will have all the money you can spend--and more."

He felt himself short of breath, and bereft of words.

"Gee whiz!" he murmured.

They sat there in silence for a few moments. A promenading couple put
their heads behind the screen, and withdrew with the sound of feminine
giggling. Outside, the piano was being