declined to consider.

"Well, we'll see," said the marvelling Miss Nugent to herself as she went
slowly upstairs. "He's got impudence enough for forty."

She commenced her preparations for seeing Mr. Wilks by wrapping a shawl
round her shoulders and reclining in an easy-chair with a novel. It was
a good story, but the room was very cold, and even the pleasure of
snubbing an intrusive young man did not make amends for the lack of
warmth. She read and shivered for an hour, and then with chilled fingers
lit the gas and proceeded to array herself for the journey.

Her temper was not improved by seeing Mr. Hardy sitting in the dark over
a good fire when she got downstairs.

"I'm afraid I've kept you waiting," she said, crisply.

"Not at all," said Hardy. "I've been very comfortable."

Miss Nugent repressed a shiver and, crossing to the fire, thoughtlessly
extended her fingers over the blaze.

"I'm afraid you're cold," said Hardy.

The girl looked round sharply. His face, or as much of it as she could
see in the firelight, bore a look of honest concern somewhat at variance
with the quality of his voice. If it had not been for the absurdity of
altering her plans on his account she would have postponed her visit to
the steward until another day.

The walk to Fullalove Alley was all too short for Jem Hardy. Miss Nugent
stepped along with the air of a martyr anxious to get to the stake and
have it over, and she answered in monosyllables when her companion
pointed out the beauties of the night.

A bitter east wind blew up the road and set her yearning for the joys of
Mr. Wilks's best room. "It's very cold," she said, shivering.

Hardy assented, and reluctantly quickened his pace to keep step with
hers. Miss Nugent with her chin sunk in a fur boa looked neither to the
right nor the left, and turning briskly into the alley, turned the handle
of Mr. Wilks's door and walked in, leaving her companion to follow.

The steward, who was smoking a long pipe over the fire, looked round in
alarm. Then his expression changed, and he rose and stammered out a
welcome. Two minutes later Miss Nugent, enthroned in the best chair with
her toes on the fender, gave her faithful subject a free pardon and full
permission to make hot coffee.

"And don't you ever try and deceive me again, Sam," she said, as she
sipped the comforting beverage.

"No, miss," said the steward, humbly. "I've 'ad a lesson. I'll never
try and Shang