occasionally.

Tired of drunkenness and slang Mike went into the stalls. The boxes
were bright with courtesans; the young men whispered invitations to
drink, and the chairman, puffing at a huge cigar, used his little
hammer and announced "Miss Sally Slater will appear next." Battlemoor
roared approval, and then in a short skirt and black stockings Sally
rushed to the footlights and took her audience, as it were, by the
throat.

"Oh, you men, what would you do without us?
You kiss us, you cuddle and play,
You win our hearts away.
Oh, you men, there's something so nice about us."

The "Oh, you men," was given with a shake of the fist and the waggle
of the bustle, in which there was genius, and Mike could not but
applaud. Suddenly he became aware that a pair of opera-glasses were
bracketed upon him, and looking up he saw Kitty Carew sitting with a
young nobleman, and he saw the white line of her teeth, for she was
laughing. She waved him to come to her.

"You dear old sweet," she said, "where have you been all this
time?--Come, kiss me at once." And she bent her head towards him.

"And now Newtimber, good-bye; I want to be with Mike. But you'll not
forget me, you'll come and see me one of these days?" And she spoke
so winningly that the boy hardly perceived that he was dismissed.
Mike and Kitty exchanged an inquiring look.

"Ah! do you remember," she said, "when I was at the Avenue, and you
used to come behind? ... You remember the dear old marquis. When I was
ill he used to come and read to me. He used to say I was the only
friend he had. The dear marquis--and he is gone now. I went to his
grave yesterday, and I strewed the tomb with chrysanthemums, and
every spring he has the first lilac of my garden."

"And who is your lover?"

"I assure you I haven't got one. Harding was the last, but he is
becoming a bore; he philosophizes. I dare say he's very clever, but
people don't kiss each other because they are clever. I don't think I
ever was in love.... But tell me, how do you think I am looking? Does
this dress suit me? Do I look any older?"

Mike vowed he had never seen her so charming.

"Very well, if you think so, I'll tell you what we'll do. As soon as
Coburn has sung his song, we'll go; my brougham is waiting ... You'll
come home and have supper with me."

A remembrance of Lily came over him, but in quick battle he crushed
it out of mind and murmured, "That will be very nice; you know I
al