suppose," she added, to say something, for a start, like talking about
the weather.

"A matter of habit, like the bike," said Jimmy, in a tone of conviction.
"Sit down, Lily, there in that big arm-chair; you're not disturbing me."

"'K you," said Lily, sitting down, feeling reassured by his cordial
welcome and thinking that, at least, he was polite.

"I am glad to see you again, Lily," Jimmy went on, taking a chair himself.
"Always glad to see you. And how are you? Keeping well?"

"'K you," said Lily.

"I'm very glad to hear it," said Jimmy, scrutinizing Lily with great
kindness and trying not to see her preoccupied expression. "I know what
brings you here, Lily. You're a dear little thing, a kid, eh? A real kid
at heart, aren't you? I bet you I guess. I've come from London. You want
to hear the latest news of your Pa and Ma, eh? You're not angry with them,
I hope? Oh, it would be wrong of you to be angry with them still! They're
very fond of you, you know. They cried when you went away, Lily. Your ...
going away," Jimmy insisted, with a quaver in his voice, "was ... a great
blow ... to them ... too."

"How do they get on without me?" asked Lily eagerly, not wishing to break
down and cry before Jimmy. "Poor Pa! Yes, he was fond of me. He never let
me fall on purpose. He did not force me to work when I was ill."

"Your Pa!" Jimmy broke in, glad of the chance to give a fresh turn to the
conversation. "Why, there's no harm in him! Your Pa's an artiste in love
with his art, that's all! I shouldn't be surprised if the troupe made a
hit yet. It's had a success of a sort already--in the small halls--at
Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells. Your Pa just does without you as well as he
can. He runs after his pupils all day long, damn it!" said Jimmy, with a
laugh. "Your cousin stars."

[Illustration: COUSIN DAISY]

"_Who_ stars?" asked Lily.

"Your cousin Daisy. She came as soon as you ... as you went away and
offered to take your place. Pa Clifton sent her to the right-about,
treated her like a ... like an I don't know what, but she returned to the
charge. She's doing very well now. She tries to be like you."

"No! Impossible!" exclaimed Lily. "What, that fat freak?"

"And your Pa will succeed," Jimmy hastened to add. "You'll see. You ought
to be proud of having a Pa like that."

"Yes, in a sense," said Lily, who felt a certain satisfaction at being the
daughter of her Pa.

He was a bit harsh at times; but a man like h