you'll enjoy
yourself.' Soon afterwards, she took leave. At the junction of De
Crespigny Park and Grove Lane, some one approached her, and with no
great surprise Nancy saw that it was Crewe.

'Been waiting for you,' he said. 'You remember you promised me another
walk.'

'Oh, it's much too late.'

'Of course it is. I didn't mean now. But to-morrow.'

'Impossible.' She moved on, in the direction away from her home. 'I
shall be with friends in the evening, the Morgans.'

'Confound it! I had made up my mind to ask you for last Saturday, but
some country people nabbed me for the whole of that day. I took them up
the Monument, and up St Paul's.'

'I've never been up the Monument,' said Nancy.

'Never? Come to-morrow afternoon then. You can spare the afternoon.
Let's meet early somewhere. Take a bus to London Bridge. I'll be at the
north end of London Bridge at three o'clock.'

'All right; I'll be there,' Nancy replied off-hand.

'You really will? Three, sharp. I was never late at an appointment,
business or pleasure.'

'Which do you consider this?' asked his companion, with a shrewd glance.

'Now that's unkind. I came here to-night on business, though. You quite
understand that, didn't you? I shouldn't like you to make any mistake.
Business, pure and simple.'

'Why, of course,' replied Nancy, with an ingenuous air. 'What else could
it be?' And she added, 'Don't come any further. Ta-ta!'

Crewe went off into the darkness.

The next afternoon, Nancy alighted at London Bridge a full quarter of an
hour late. It had been raining at intervals through the day, and clouds
still cast a gloom over the wet streets. Crewe, quite insensible to
atmospheric influence, came forward with his wonted brisk step and
animated visage. At Miss. Lord's side he looked rather more plebeian
than when walking by himself; his high-hat, not of the newest, utterly
misbecame his head, and was always at an unconventional angle, generally
tilting back; his clothes, of no fashionable cut, bore the traces of
perpetual hurry and multifarious impact. But he carried a perfectly new
and expensive umbrella, to which, as soon as he had shaken hands with
her, he drew Nancy's attention.

'A present this morning, from a friend of mine in the business. I ran
into his shop to get shelter. Upon my word, I had no intention; didn't
think anything about it. However, he owed me an acknowledgment;
I've sent him three customers from our office since I saw him