long ago--"Zaeo's year at the
Aquarium:--that doesn't make me any younger, eh?"--had discovered a little
German place....

Lily would have liked to propose the Horse Shoe, to walk in there with her
big hat and creaking boots as though the place belonged to her. But they
decided upon a "Lyons" in Wardour Street. At the table, it was touching to
watch the attentions which the Three Graces lavished upon their Nunkie,
the respect they showed him. Pa was not sorry that Lily should see that,
but Lily took no notice at all: she just removed her gloves, held her
knife and fork with the tips of her fingers, let Pa help her, thanked him
with a pretty "'K you." From the corner of her eye, she watched other
groups, to pick up good manners. She seemed to have frequented smart
restaurants all her life: beside her, Nunkie and the Three Graces, who cut
their bread with their knives and made a noise when eating, looked like a
family of small farmers on a visit to London town. Pa was greatly amused,
enjoyed his daughter's aristocratic ways, admired her refined air. When
they went out, in obedience to a look from Lily, he bought her a bunch of
violets, which he pinned to her bodice himself:

"Well, Lily, are you happy? Do you love your Pa? Tell me you love your
Pa," and he looked at her gently as if in regret at having been so harsh
at practice.

"It's for your good, my Lily, you'll thank me one of these days. I'll give
you lovely dresses, I'll cover you with diamonds!"

"Why not to-day?" asked Lily, with a comic pout.

Then both of them laughed and Lily forgot everything, even the blow with
the fist, at being treated so like a lady.

"If I was married," she said to the Three Graces, "I should like to go
shopping all day long and have fine dresses, a gold watch and no bike!"

The Three Graces, with their heroic strength, had no thought of such
luxuries. Thea told Lily of her successes in America:

"Five pullings-up with one arm at Boston. Six at 'Frisco. Eight when we
got back to New York! Eight, Lily! And to-day...."

"And your lover in America, tell me about your lover ..." interrupted
Lily, pressing Thea's arm.

"Talk low," said Thea, looking back at Nunkie, who was walking behind with
Pa. "Nunkie is furious with him. If he ever meets him! He says it's
disgraceful, not writing to me, after asking leave to. It's an insult that
ought to disgust me with men for good and all, Nunkie says."

She told Lily everything, her unhapp