got up as if he had been sitting on a suddenly released spring.

'Spoon away both of you,' he said smoothly, 'I'm going over to Parsons'
to buy a racquet. Coming, Beauty? No, thought as much. Ta-ta, Vic.
Excuse me. Steak and kidney pie is tenpence, not a shilling. Cheer oh!
Beauty.'

'He's a rum one,' said Victoria, reflectively, as Jimmy passed the cash
desk.

'Jimmy? oh, he's all right,' said Neville, 'but look here Vic, I want to
speak to you. Let's go on the bust to-night. Dinner at the New Gaiety
and the theatre. What d'you think?'

Victoria looked at him for a second.

'You are a cure, Nevy,' she said.

'Then that's a bargain?' said Brown, eagerly snapping up her
non-refusal. 'Meet me at Strand Tube Station half-past seven. You're off
to-night, I know.'

'Oh you know, do you,' said Victoria smiling. 'Been pumping Bella I
suppose, like the rest. She's a green one, that girl.'

Neville looked up at her appealingly. 'Never mind how I know,' he said,
'say you'll come, we'll have a ripping time.'

'Well, p'raps I will and p'raps I won't,' said Victoria. 'Your bill,
Sir? Yessir.'

Victoria went to the next table. While she wrote she exchanged chaff
with the customers. One had not raised his eyes from his book; one stood
waiting for his bill; the other two, creatures about to be men, raised
languid eyes from their coffee cups. One negligently puffed a jet of
tobacco smoke upwards towards Victoria.

'Rotten,' she said briefly, 'I see you didn't buy those up West.'

'That's what _you_ think, Vic,' said the youth, 'fact is I got them in
the Burlington. Have one?'

'No thanks. Don't want to be run in.'

'Have a match then.' The young man held up a two inch vesta. 'What
price that, eh? pinched 'em from the Troc' last night.'

'You are a toff, Bertie,' said Victoria with unction. 'I'll have it as a
keepsake.' She took it and stuck it in her belt.

Bertie leaned over to his neighbour. 'It's a mash,' he said confidently.

'Take her to Kew,' said his friend, 'next stop Brighton.'

'Can't run to it, old cock,' said the youth. 'However we shall see.'

'Vic, Vic,' whispered Neville. But Victoria had passed him quickly and
was answering Mr Stein.

'Vat you mean by it,' he growled, 'making de gentleman vait for his
ticket, gn?'

'Beg your pardon, Mr Stein, I did nothing of the kind. The gentleman was
making _me_ wait while he talked to his friend.'

Victoria could now lie coolly and well. Stein looked at he