r some time with his hand placed
protectingly in his trouser-pocket. Finally, in a fierce voice, he
inquired the cost.

Ten minutes later, in a state fairly evenly divided between pleasure and
fury, Mrs. Jobling departed with the money. Wild yearnings for courage
that would enable her to spend the money differently, and confront the
dismayed Mr. Jobling in a new hat and jacket, possessed her on the
way; but they were only yearnings, twenty-five years' experience of her
husband's temper being a sufficient safeguard.

Miss Robinson came in the day after as they were sitting down to tea.
Mr. Jobling, who was in his shirt-sleeves, just had time to disappear as
the girl passed the window. His wife let her in, and after five remarks
about the weather sat listening in grim pleasure to the efforts of Mr.
Jobling to find his coat. He found it at last, under a chair cushion,
and, somewhat red of face, entered the room and greeted the visitor.

Conversation was at first rather awkward. The girl's eyes wandered round
the room and paused in astonishment on the pink vases; the beauty of the
rug also called for notice.

"Yes, they're pretty good," said Mr. Jobling, much gratified by her
approval.

"Beautiful," murmured the girl. "What a thing it is to have money!" she
said, wistfully.

"I could do with some," said Mr. Jobling, with jocularity. He helped
himself to bread and butter and began to discuss money and how to spend
it. His ideas favored retirement and a nice little place in the country.

"I wonder you don't do it," said the girl, softly.

Mr. Jobling laughed. "Gingell and Watson don't pay on those lines," he
said. "We do the work and they take the money."

"It's always the way," said the girl, indignantly; "they have all the
luxuries, and the men who make the money for them all the hardships. I
seem to know the name Gingell and Watson. I wonder where I've seen it?"

"In the paper, p'r'aps," said Mr. Jobling.

"Advertising?" asked the girl.

Mr. Jobling shook his head. "Robbery," he replied, seriously. "It was
in last week's paper. Somebody got to the safe and got away with nine
hundred pounds in gold and bank-notes."

"I remember now," said the girl, nodding, "Did they catch them?"

"No, and not likely to," was the reply.

Miss Robinson opened her big eyes and looked round with an air of pretty
defiance. "I am glad of it," she said.

"Glad?" said Mrs. Jobling, involuntarily breaking a self-imposed vow of
s