penetrated the
thin walls greatly to Gay's discomfort. The lady's voice was not
particularly sweet.

"Let us walk apart, Polly," said he. "We shan't hear that noise so
keenly."

He took her arm and placed it beneath his.

"Spiller's right, my dear. I have great hopes of you, but your chance
won't come for months. The time won't be lost if you work hard at
everything Huddy puts in your way. You'll have plenty of variety, but
you won't earn much money. The sharing out system puts the lion's
portion into the manager's pocket. But that can't be helped. Still, if
you want money--the duchess----"

"Oh, Mr. Gay," broke in Lavinia anxiously, "I've been sorely worried
thinking of her grace. Have you told her?--I mean about me running away
from school and--and----"

Gay laughed and playfully pinched her cheek.

"The love story, eh? Yes, I told the duchess, and she was vastly
entertained. She's a woman of infinite spirit and she likes other women
to have spirit too. She's not without romance--and I wouldn't give a
thank-you for her if she were. If you'd run off out of restlessness or a
mere whim or fit of temper, I doubt if she'd troubled about you further;
but love--that was another thing altogether. Oh, and your courage in
escaping from that dissolute rascal--that captured her. My dear,
Queensberry's Duchess is your friend. She's as desirous as I am that you
should be Polly Peachum in my 'Beggar's Opera,' and when I tell her
about to-night she'll be overjoyed. You need not fear about the future
save that it depends upon yourself. But Polly, what of the young
playwright, Lancelot Vane?"

"I don't want to hear anything about him!"

"What! Have you and he tiffed? Well, 'tis a way that true love works.
But let me tell you I've handed his play to Mr. Cibber, though much I
doubt its good fortune. Honestly, my child, though some of the lines are
good, others are sad stuff."

"I don't wish Mr. Vane any ill will, but it is no affair of mine whether
his play be good or bad."

"Mercy on me! But you told me he wanted to write in a part for you."

"If he does I won't play it. Mr. Vane is nothing to me."

"Oh, so _that_ love's flown away, has it? Was there anybody in this
world or any other so full of vagaries and vapours as Master Cupid?"

Lavinia was in a tumult of doubt and contrary inclinations. She hated to
discuss Lancelot Vane! She wanted to talk about him! She was suffering
from the most puzzling of emotions--the ming