ways loved you better than any one."

At that moment they were interrupted by cheers and yells. Muchross
had just entered at the head of his gang; his lieutenants, Snowdown
and Dicky the driver, stood beside him. They stood under the gallery
bowing to the courtesans in the boxes, and singing--

"Two lovely black eyes
Oh! what a surprise,
Two lovely black eyes."

"I wish we could avoid those fellows," said Kitty; "they'll only
bother me with questions. Come, let's be off, they'll be up here in a
moment." But they were intercepted by Muchross and his friends in a
saloon where Sally and Battlemoor were drinking with various singers,
waiting their turns.

"Where are you going? You aren't going off like that?" cried
Muchross, catching her by her sleeve.

"Yes, I am; I am going home."

"Let me see you home," whispered Dicky.

"Thanks, Mike is seeing me home."

"You are in love," cried Muchross; "I shan't leave you."

"You are in drink; I'll leave you in charge if you don't loose my
sleeve."

"This joker," cried Sally, "will take a ticket if something wins a
Lincoln, and he doesn't know which." She stood in the doorway, her
arms akimbo. "People are very busy here," she snarled, when a woman
tried to pass.

"I beg your pardon," said the ex-chorus girl.

"And a good thing too," said Sally. "You are one of the busy ones,
just got your salary for shoving, I suppose." There was no competing
with Sally's tongue, and the girl passed without replying.

This queen of song was attired in a flowery gown of pale green, and
she wore a large hat lavishly trimmed with wild flowers; she moved
slowly, conscious of her importance and fame.

But at that moment a man in a check suit said, doffing his cap, "Very
pleased to see you here, Miss Slater."

Sally looked him over. "Well, I can't help that."

"I was at your benefit. Mr. Jackson was there, and he introduced me
to you after the performance."

"No, I'm sure he didn't."

"I beg your pardon, Miss Slater. Don't you remember when Peggy Praed
got on the table and made a speech?"

"No, I don't; you saw _me_ on the stage and you paid your money for
that. What more do you want?"

"I assure you--"

"Well, that's all right, now's your chance to lend me a fiver."

"I'll lend you a fiver or a tenner, if you like, Miss Slater."

"You could not do it if you tried, and now the roast pork's off."

The witticism was received with a roar from her admirers, a