ite express what I mean. I am learning to
live."

She hastily searched his face for the interpretation of these words,
then looked away, with grave, thoughtful countenance.

"By good fortune," Hilliard pursued. "I have become possessed of money
enough to live upon for a year or two. At the end of it I may find
myself in the old position, and have to be a living machine once more.
But I shall be able to remember that I was once a man."

Eve regarded him strangely, with wide, in tent eyes, as though his
speech had made a peculiar impression upon her.

"Can you see any sense in that?" he asked, smiling.

"Yes. I think I understand you."

She spoke slowly, and Hilliard, watching her, saw in her face more of
the expression of her portrait than he had yet discovered. Her soft
tone was much more like what he had expected to hear than her
utterances hitherto.

"Have you always lived at Dudley?" she asked.

He sketched rapidly the course of his life, without reference to
domestic circumstances. Before he had ceased speaking he saw that Eve's
look was directed towards something at a distance behind him; she
smiled, and at length nodded, in recognition of some person who
approached. Then a voice caused him to look round.

"Oh, there you are! I have been hunting for you ever so long."

As soon as Hilliard saw the speaker, he had no difficulty in
remembering her. It was Eve's companion of the day before yesterday,
with whom she had started for the theatre. The girl evidently felt some
surprise at discovering her friend in conversation with a man she did
not know; but Eve was equal to the situation, and spoke calmly.

"This gentleman is from my part of the world--from Dudley. Mr.
Hilliard--Miss Ringrose."

Hilliard stood up. Miss Ringrose, after attempting a bow of formal
dignity, jerked out her hand, gave a shy little laugh, and said with
amusing abruptness--

"Do you really come from Dudley?"

"I do really, Miss Ringrose. Why does it sound strange to you?"

"Oh, I don't mean that it sounds strange." She spoke in a high but not
unmusical note, very quickly, and with timid glances to either side of
her collocutor. "But Eve--Miss Madeley--gave me the idea that Dudley
people must be great, rough, sooty men. Don't laugh at me, please. You
know very well, Eve, that you always talk in that way. Of course, I
knew that there must be people of a different kind, but--there now,
you're making me confused, and I don't know wh