t would herself attend
upon the table, and the request to go to the third floor and make a
warm bath ready there.

Towsley was grateful for her departure, but suspicious of its object.
Like most others of his class he hated water, save in summer when he
could go swimming. However, he was not a boy who went half-way to meet
trouble. The bath was a future possibility and the pie a delightfully
present one.

"Which sort? Mince or apple?"

Two possibilities, in fact!

"Mince, please. I had that once at a dinner the rich folks gave us. I
tell you it was prime!"

Miss Lucy smiled again. The little lad with his honest, outspoken ways
interested her greatly. She remembered that when she was a child
herself she had used to wish her dinners might always begin with the
dessert. But they never had. She resolved that Towsley should escape
this disappointment of her own early days, and drawing the pie toward
her divided it into quarters. It was a large pie and might easily have
been served in eighths without any skimpiness; but she gave him a
quarter. Then she offered him the cheese, which he declined by a
negative wave of his grimy hand; his mouth being at the instant too
much occupied for speech.

Before Miss Armacost had carved a slice of beef, as a second course
for the young gentleman, his pie plate was empty.

"Would you like another piece, Towsley?"

"I'd like it, if you can spare it."

"Oh! certainly. I am glad you enjoy it. Chloe does make rather nice
pastry, I think."

"Should say she did! Is that the black one, 'at stuck her head in the
door curtain and sniffed?"

"She is the black one. Yes. I did not observe the sniffing."

The lad did not explain. He was biting the last mouthful from the
second quarter of the pie, which he had held in his hand as he ate it.
This was the custom at the sidewalk table where he generally dined,
and where forks were things unknown.

Miss Armacost gazed at the boy in astonishment. He had now consumed a
half pie, yet seemed as eager as ever. She resolved that he should
have the whole of it, if he so desired, but that she would instil a
bit of instruction along with the mince-meat. She placed the third
quarter upon a fresh plate and ostentatiously laid a fork beside it.

Towsley accepted this third portion and being in less haste attempted
to use the fork, as Miss Lucy's action had suggested. He succeeded
fairly well, considering his inexperience, and his hostess was
delighte