rld.

He turned eastward, and walking with rapid strides made his way down the
Strand and thence by Ludgate Circus to Aldgate and the mean streets he
knew so well. It was nearly midnight when he arrived there, and yet he
fell in with certain whom he knew and passed them by with a genial nod.
His altered appearance, the black overcoat and the scarf which hid his
dress clothes, called for many a "Gor blime" or "Strike me dead." Women
caught his arm and wrestled with him, roughs tried to push him from the
pavement and were amazed at his good humor. In Union Street he first met
little red-haired Chris Denham and asked of her the news. She shrank
back from him as though afraid, and answered almost in a whisper.

"Lois gone--she went three weeks ago. I thought you'd have know'd it--I
thought you was sweet on her, Alban. And now you come here like
that--what's happened to you, whatever have you been doing of?"

He told her gaily that he had found new friends.

"But I haven't forgotten the old ones, Chris, and I'm coming down to see
you all some day soon. How's your mother--what's she doing now?"

The girl shrugged her shoulders and the glance she turned upon him
seemed to say that she would sooner speak on any other subject.

"What should she be doin'--what's any of us doin' but slave our bones
off and break our hearts. You've come to see Lois' father, haven't you?
Oh, yes, I know how much you want to talk about my mother. The old man's
up there in the shop--I saw him as I came by."

Alban stood an instant irresolute. How much he would have liked to offer
some assistance to this poor girl, to speak of real pecuniary help and
friendship. But he knew the people too well. The utmost delicacy would
be necessary.

"Well," he said, "I'm sorry things are not better, Chris. I've had a
good Saturday night, you see, and if I can do anything, don't you mind
letting me know. We'll talk of it when we have more time. I'm going on
to see Boriskoff now, and I doubt that I'll find him out of bed."

She laughed a little wildly, still turning almost pathetic eyes upon
him.

"Is it true that it's all off between you and Lois--all the Court says
it is. That's why she went away, they say--is it true, Alb, or are they
telling lies? I can't believe it myself. You're not the sort to give a
girl over--not one that's stood by you as well as Lois. Tell me it ain't
true or I shall think the worse of you."

The question staggered him and he cou