ordon serenely, jerking
her thumb in that direction. 'I see you mean to be close too. Not that
it matters a cent to me; I've no earthly interest in her affairs. You
can tell her, if you like, that Captain Dent was inquiring
affectionately for her this morning. I met him on my way back from
rehearsal.'

Teen listened in silence, mentally deciding that she would not tell her
any such thing.

'And you can tell her, if you like, that I'll be glad to see her any
time before the twenty-third. The Eighty-Fifth are ordered to Ireland,
and of course my husband will wish me to go with him.'

A slow smile, in which there was the faintest touch of sarcasm, was in
Teen's face as she glanced at the tawdry figure sitting on the fender
end.

'A' richt; I'll tell her. An' guid-nicht to ye; I'm very much obleeged,'
she said, and, taking Liz's tin box in her hand, she left a trifle
hastily, as if afraid she should be longer detained.

She found Liz sitting where she had left her, in the same listless
attitude, and her eyes were red about the rims, as if she had had a
crying fit. The fire was very low, and the kettle standing cold where
Teen had left it on the hearthstone.

'I forgot a' aboot the kettle, Teen,' she said apologetically. 'I'm a
lazy tyke; but dinna rage. Weel, ye've got the box. Did ye see Emily?'

'Yes, if that's her name. She's a queer yin,' said Teen, as she let the
box drop, and grasped the poker to improve the condition of the fire.
'Ye dinna seem to hae telt her much, Liz, ony mair than me.'

'No; it's aye best to keep dark. I dinna mean onything ill, Teen, but
naebody shall ever ken frae me whaur I've been or what I've suffered
since I gaed awa'. Ay, what I've suffered!'--she repeated these words
with a passionate intensity, which caused Teen to regard her with a kind
of awe. 'But maybe my day'll come, an' if it does, I winna forget,' she
said, more to herself than to her companion; then, catching sight of
Teen's astonished face, she broke into a laugh, and said, in quite a
different tone,--

'Weel, is't the morn we're gaun among the swells? An' hoo d'ye pit in
the time in the country?'

'Ye'll see,' replied Teen, with quiet satisfaction. 'The days are ower
short, that's the only fault they hae. Efter we get oor supper, what wad
ye say to gang roond to Colquhoun Street and see Wat, to tell him we're
gaun to Bourhill?'

'No, I'm no' gaun. He micht say we werena to gang. I say, Teen, he's in
love wi' her.