f your age to crowd everything out of her life except
work, however fine and useful the work may be. Now you have admitted
that except for Mr. Brooks and the people you have met in connection
with his work you have no friends in London. I want you to count me a
friend, Miss Scott. You have been very kind to me, and made everything
delightfully easy. Why can't you let me try and repay it a little?"

"I have only done my duty," Mary answered, quietly. "I am supposed to
show new helpers what to do, and you have picked it up very quickly. And
as for the rest--don't think me unkind, but I have no room for
friendships in my life just now."

"I am sorry," Sybil answered, softly, for though Mary's tone had been
cold enough, she had nevertheless for a single moment lifted the
curtain, and Sybil understood in some vague manner that there were
things behind into which she had no right to inquire.

The two girls parted at Trafalgar Square, and Sybil, still in love with
the fresh air, turned blithely westward on foot. In the Haymarket she
came face to face with Brooks.

He greeted her with a delightful smile.

"You alone, and walking," he exclaimed. "What fortune. May I come?"

"Of course," she answered. "You know where I have come from, I
suppose?"

He glanced at her plain clothes and realized that the odour of
disinfectants was stronger even than the perfume of the handful of
violets which she had just bought from a woman in the street.

"Stepney!" he exclaimed.

"Quite right. I had a card last evening, and was there at nine o'clock
this morning. I suppose I look a perfect wreck. I was dancing at
Hamilton House at three o'clock."

He looked towards her marvelling. Her cheeks were prettily flushed, and
she walked with the delightful springiness of perfect health.

"I have never seen you look better," he answered.

"And you," she remarked, glancing in amusement at his blue serge
clothes, which, to tell the truth, badly needed brushing. "What are you
doing in the West End at this time in the morning?

"I have been to Drury Lane," he answered, "with some surveyors from the
County Council. There is a whole court there I mean to get condemned.
Then I looked in at our new place there, but there was such a howling
lot of children that I was glad to get away. How they hate being
washed!"

"Don't they!" she exclaimed, laughing. "I had the dearest, naughtiest
little girl this morning, and, do you know, when I got her clean,