e world."

"I haven't promised anything," she answered noncommittally. Her eyes
flashed up to his and in them shone the sweetest light imaginable. "But
just for now I'm sitting on the floor again."

They forgot all about lunch.

CHAPTER 5.

EXPERIENCES OF A VAGRANT.

Richard Frencham Altar awoke betimes--as a fact he had been disturbed
when the four o'clock patrol came round but subsequently slept for
another spell. In the shuffle up he had changed the order of his
companions and as he opened his eyes for the second time he found himself
beside an old lady, generously skirted and shawled, who wore a hat from
which the bare quills of several ostrich feathers pointed this way and
that in raffish confusion. In her lap was a sack containing her various
possessions. Richard watched dreamily as she emptied its contents upon
the pavement and sorted them out in some kind of order. The proceeding
was vaguely reminiscent of a barrack room kit inspection. So far as he
could judge she was separating wardrobe from larder, the two having
become painfully confused during the preceding day's march. To one
inexpert in such matters it would have been hard to decide which was
eatable and which wearable, and Richard observed the operation with a
mixture of amusement and disgust. Having discovered her breakfast and
selected a piece of rag to act as napkin, tablecloth, and subsequently a
face towel, the old lady restored the remainder of her effects to the
'valise' and fell to. Noticing Richard was awake she addressed him in a
singularly soprano voice.

"I'm up a bit early today," she remarked and added "Lovely air, isn't it?"

The unexpected aestheticism of the remark robbed him of speech. Ho had
looked for mutterings or execrations but instead here was amiability and
appreciation overriding adversity. A powerful desire possessed him to
shake hands with his new acquaintance, but he did not risk it, being
unacquainted with the proper etiquette of the benches. Recovering his
composure he agreed about the pleasant quality of the air and threw in a
word of praise for the sparrows.

"Dear little things," said the old lady over the grey crust to which she
was applying a single tooth. Having gnawed off a corner she threw a
glance at him. "Just come down?" she questioned.

Richard nodded.

"My first night," he said, "and I've rarely spent a better, though I
confess I should enjoy a shave and a wash."

"There's a b