wholesome sort of manner he began to
find the vision attractive. He found himself actually wishing that she
were there--a buxom young woman with dyed hair and sidelong glances, a
loud voice, and a distinct fancy for flirtations.

"She is quite well, I hope?" he said.

"Oh, Maudie's all right!" the young lady replied. "Fortunately for her,
she's like me--she don't lay too much store on the things you gentlemen
say when you come in. Staying away for months at a time!" she continued
indignantly. "I'm ashamed of both of you. It's the way we girls always
get treated. I shall tell them to lay for you for lunch to-day,
anyway."

The two men looked at one another across the round table. Mr.
Waddington heaved a sigh.

"I shouldn't bother about that sale, if I were you," Burton whispered
hoarsely. "I tell you what it is, I daren't go on like this any longer.
I shall do something desperate. This horrible place is getting
attractive to me! I shall probably sit here and order more beer and
wait till Maud comes; I shall stay to lunch and sit with my arm around
her afterwards! I am going to take a bean at once."

Mr. Waddington sighed and produced the snuff-box from his waistcoat
pocket. Burton followed suit. The young woman, leaning across the
counter, watched them curiously.

"What's that you're taking?" she inquired. "Something for indigestion?"

"Not exactly," Mr. Waddington replied. "It's a little ailment I'm
suffering from, and Burton too."

They both swallowed their beans. Burton gave a deep sigh.

"I feel safe again," he murmured. "I am certain that I was on the point
of suggesting that she send up for Maud. We might have taken them out
together to-night, Mr. Waddington--had dinner at Frascati's, drunk
cheap champagne, and gone to a music-hall!"

"Burton," Mr. Waddington said calmly, "I do not for a moment believe
that we should so far have forgotten ourselves. I don't know how you
are feeling, but the atmosphere of this place is most distasteful to me.
These tawdry decorations are positively vicious. The odor, too, is
insufferable."

Burton rose hastily to his feet.

"I quite agree with you," he said. "Let us get out as quickly as we
can."

"Something," Mr. Waddington went on, "ought to be done to prevent the
employment of young women in a public place. It is enough to alter
one's whole opinion of the sex to see a brazen-looking creature like
that lounging about the bar, and to be compelled to be served by he