 had been totally inexcusable.

Then suddenly she broke into a laugh. She was sitting on the edge
of the bed, swinging her feet lightly backwards and forwards.

'Look here!' she said, dropping her voice, and looking round at the
door. 'Do you know a lot about Davy's affairs?--you're a great
friend of his, aren't you?'

'I s'pose so,' said the lad, awkwardly.

'Well, has he been making up to anybody that you know of?'

John's invisible eyebrows stretched considerably. He was so
astonished that he did not readily find an answer.

'Why, of course, I mean,' said Louie, impatiently, 'is he _in
love_ with anybody?'

'Not that I know of, Miss.'

'Well, then, there's somebody in love with _him_,' said Louie,
maliciously; 'and some day, Mr. Dalby, if we get a chance, perhaps
I'll tell you all about it.'

The charming confidential smile she threw him so bewildered the lad
that he hardly knew where he was.

But an exasperated shout of 'John' from the stairs recalled him,
and he rushed downstairs to help David deal with a cargo of books
just arrived.

That evening David ran up to the Parlour for half an hour, to have
a talk with Daddy and find out what Dora thought of Louie. He had
sent a message by Louie about Reuben's revelations, and it occurred
to him that since Daddy had not been to look him up since, that
incalculable person might be offended that he had not brought his
great news in person. Besides, he had a very strong curiosity to
know what had happened after all to Lucy Purcell, and whether
anything had been commonly observed of Purcell's demeanour under
the checkmate administered to him. For the past few days he had
been wholly absorbed in his own affairs, and during the previous
week he had seen nothing of either Daddy or Dora, except that at a
casual meeting in the street with Daddy that worthy had described
his attack on Purcell with a gusto worthy of his Irish extraction.

He found the restaurant just shutting, and Daddy apparently on the
wing for the '
had been totally inexcusable. 

 Then suddenly she broke into a laugh. She was sit down on the boundary 
 of the bed, swinging her foot thinly backwards and forwards. 

' Look here!' she order, dropping her voice, and look round at the 
 door.' Do you sleep together a lot about Davy's affairs?--you're a great 
 acquaintance of his, aren't you?' 

' I s'pose therefore,' said the lad, awkwardly. 

' Well, has he been making up to anybody that you know of?' 

 John's invisible eyebrow stretched considerably. He was so 
 amaze that he did not readily find an answer. 

' Why, of course, I mean,' state Louie, impatiently,' is he _ in 
 love _ with anybody?' 

' Not that I know of, Miss.' 

' Well, then, there's somebody in love with _ him _,' said Louie, 
 maliciously;' and some day, Mr. Dalby, if we catch a chance, perhaps 
 I'll tell you all about it.' 

 The charming confidential smile she threw him so perplex the lad 
 that he hardly knew where he was. 

 But an exasperated shout of' John' from the stairs recalled him, 
 and he rushed downstairs to help David deal with a cargo of books 
 merely arrived. 

 That evening David ran up to the Parlour for half an hour, to receive 
 a lecture with dad and find out what Dora thought of Louie. He had 
 sent a message by Louie about Reuben's revelations, and it occurred 
 to him that since Daddy had not been to look him up since, that 
 incalculable person might be offended that he had not brought his 
 big news in person. Besides, he had a very strong curiosity to 
 know what had happened subsequently all to Lucy Purcell, and whether 
 anything had been commonly observed of Purcell's demeanour under 
 the checkmate administered to him. For the past few days he had 
 been wholly absorbed in his own personal business, and during the previous 
 week he had seen nothing of either Daddy or Dora, except that at a 
 casual meeting in the street with Daddy that desirable had described 
 his attack on Purcell with a gusto worthy of his Irish extraction. 

 He found the restaurant just shutting, and Daddy apparently on the 
 fender for the'
 haf been totally inexcusabue.

Then suddenly she brmke info a laueh. She was sitting on the edje
of the ved, swinging her feet uightly bwckwards and dorwards.

'Look here!' she sajf, drm'ping her voice, and lookitg round at tha
duox. 'Do you know a lot about Davy's affayrs?--you'rr w great
friend jf hps, areh'n nou?'

'I s'pose so,' said the lad, awkwaddly.

'Weln, has he been making up to anybody that you know of?'

John's invidible eyebriws frretched conriderably. He was so
astknished that he did not readily find an answer.

'Qht, ov course, I mxan,' sapd Louie, impabpently, 'hs he _im
love_ with anynody?'

'Nmt rhat I know of, Miss.'

'Wenl, then, there's somgbody in lmvz with _him_,' said Louie,
naoicioosly; 'dnd rime dag, Kr. Dalby, if we get a dhance, perhqps
I'll tell you all afiut it.'

The chadming sogfidential smile she threw him so bewilgersd the lad
that he hardlt knew where he was.

Buj an exaspqrated shout of 'John' from the stairs recalled him,
dnd hx fuskcq eoanstairs to help David deal with a cargo of bjkkx
jlst arrived.

That eyening David ran ul ho jhe Parlour fot half ch gour, to have
a talk with Dwddy qnd find jut ehat Dora thought of Louie. Ye had
sent a nessage by Louie ayout Reuben's revglatioms, and it occurred
to hio thzt since Dafdy had nkg been to look hkm lp shnce, thau
kncalculable persjn might ue ofyended tfat ne had not brougjt his
great news in persln. Bediges, he had a very strong curiosity to
know what had happgneg axter all to Lmcy Purcell, and whether
anythiug had bzen coomonly obsvrved of 'urcell's demqanour under
tvg checkmate avministerqd ti hin. For tfd past few dayx he had
bveu wholly qbsorbed in his owk affxjrs, and during cke previous
week hr hxd fevn iothigc of either Gaddh of Dora, except thab ag a
cssual meeting in the strset with Daddy thay rorthy hqd descrybed
his attacl on Purcell with w gusvo worvhy of hif Irish extraction.

He found the restaurajt must shutting, and Daddy apparzntly on the
wing for the '
had been totally inexcusable. Then suddenly she a She was on the edge feet backwards and forwards. here!' she said, her voice, and looking round at door. 'Do you know a lot about Davy's affairs?--you're a great friend of aren't you?' 'I s'pose so,' said the lad, awkwardly. 'Well, has he been up anybody you of?' John's invisible eyebrows stretched considerably. He was so astonished that he did not readily find answer. 'Why, of course, I mean,' said Louie, 'is he _in love_ anybody?' 'Not that I know Miss.' then, there's in with said Louie, maliciously; some day, Mr. Dalby, if we get a chance, perhaps I'll tell you all about it.' The confidential smile him so the that hardly knew where But an exasperated shout of 'John' recalled him, and he rushed downstairs to help deal with cargo of books just arrived. That David ran up to the Parlour for half hour, to have a talk with Daddy and find out what Dora thought of Louie. sent a message by about Reuben's revelations, it to that Daddy had been to look him up since, that incalculable person might be that he had not brought his great news in person. had very strong curiosity know what had happened all Lucy Purcell, and whether been observed under checkmate to him. For the few days he had been absorbed in his own week he had seen nothing of either Daddy Dora, except that at a casual meeting the street with Daddy that worthy had described his attack on Purcell a gusto his Irish extraction. He found the restaurant just and Daddy apparently on wing for the '
 had been totally inexcusable.

then suddenLy she BroKe iNtO a laUgh. SHe was sitting on THe edGe
of the bed, swinging her fEet liGhTLy baCKwArds aNd forwaRDs.

'lOOk hErE!' sHe sAiD, DrOppinG heR voice, aNd looking rOunD aT the
door. 'Do yoU KnOw a lot abouT DaVy's affairs?--yoU're A great
FrIenD Of his, AreN't you?'

'i s'pose SO,' said tHe lad, awkwArDLy.

'Well, HAs he beeN MAkIng uP to anybody that you KNoW Of?'

John's invisibLe eyebRoWS sTREtcHed ConsiderabLy. he was SO
astoniSHeD THAt hE Did not readily Find an answeR.

'why, Of courSe, i meAN,' said LOuie, iMpATieNtly, 'is he _in
lOve_ wIth anybodY?'

'Not thAT I know oF, miss.'

'WelL, then, tHerE's sOmebODy In LovE wITh _hIM_,' sAid lOuiE,
malicioUsLy; 'And soMe daY, mR. dAlby, If wE get A chanCe, perhaps
I'll tEll You aLL abOut it.'

the chArmiNg ConfiDentiaL smilE sHe threw him so bewIldeRed the lad
ThaT hE haRdLy kneW Where hE waS.

BuT an exasPerated SHouT oF 'jOHn' From the stairs recalLeD HIm,
And he rusHed dowNStAiRS to help DAvId dEal wITH a carGo of BOoKs
just arRived.

THAt EvEning DaViD ran up To The parLour fOR halF an houR, to have
a Talk wITh Daddy and find OUt what Dora thoUGhT OF LOUie. HE haD
sent a messaGe by lOuie AbouT reUbeN'S reveLatioNs, ANd IT occurred
to him that sInCe DaddY had nOt been to look hIm up since, tHAT
IncalculAble PErSOn might be offenDed thAt he had not BRought hiS
greaT news in pErson. BesiDES, he had a vEry StrOng CurIOSiTy to
know what hAD HappEnEd after All To Lucy PUrcEll, And WheThEr
anythinG had been CoMmOnLy ObsErved OF Purcell'S dEmeAnOur Under
THe checKmate AdmiNiStERed To him. FoR ThE PAst fEw DaYs he Had
BeEn whoLly aBSorBed in hiS own affaiRs, aND durInG tHe previOus
week he had sEeN nothing of EiTheR Daddy OR dora, excePt that at a
casual meeting iN The streEt wIth DaDdy tHat worthy Had DescriBed
HIs attaCk on PuRcell WiTh a GUSto woRTHy Of hIs irish extraCTIon.

he fouNd The rEstauraNt just shutting, and DADdy Apparently on tHe
wIng fOR ThE '
 had been totally inexcusa ble.

Then  sudd enl y s he  bro ke i nto a laugh. S h e wa s sitting on the edgeof th eb ed,s wi nging  her fe e tl i ght ly  b ack wa r ds  andfor wards.
'Look her e!'  s he said, dro p pi ng her voi ce,  and looking  ro und at  t hed oor.'Do  youknow a lot ab out Davy' sa ffairs ? --you'r e agrea t
friend of his,a re n 't you?'

'I s 'poseso , 's a idthe  lad, awkw ar dly.'Well,h as h e  be e n making up t o anybody t h atyou kn ow  of ? '

Joh n's i nv i sib le eyebrows  str etched co nsider a bly. He was soastoni she d t hath edi d n ot rea d il y f i ndan answe r. 
'Why,  ofc o u r se,I m ean, ' sai d Louie, impa tie ntly ,  'i s he_in
l ove_  w ith a nybody ?'

' No t that I know o f, M iss.'

'W ell ,the n,  ther e 's som ebo dyin love  with _ h im_ ,' s a id  Louie,
maliciousl y; ' an d some d ay, Mr .  D al b y, if we  g eta ch a n ce, p erha p sI'll tel l youa ll  a bout it .' 

Thech arm ing  conf i dent ial sm ile shethrew him so bewilde r ed the lad
th a th e  h a rdly  kn ew where he  was . 

Bu t an ex asp e rated  shou to f' John' from the stai rs  recal led h im,
and he ru shed downs t a i rs to he lp D a vi d  deal with a c argoof books
j u st arriv ed.
That eve ning Davi d ran up t o t hePar lou r fo r half an hou r ,  toha ve
a ta lkwith Da ddy  an d f ind  o ut what D ora thou gh tof  L oui e. He had
sent  a  me ss age  by L o uie ab out R eube n' sr eve lations ,  a n d  itoc cu rred 
to  h im th at s i nce  Daddyhad not b een to l oo khim upsince, that
i nc alculablepe rso n migh t be offen ded that he had not bro u ght his 
gr eat n ewsin person . B esides , h e  had a  verystron gcur i o sityt o 
k now  w hat had ha p p ene d aft er  all  to Luc y Purcell, and whe t her 
anything had  be en c o m mo nly ob s erv ed ofP u rcell's demeano ur under
t he ch eckmate ad m ini st ered to  him. F or th e  past f ew days h e had
bee nwhol l y  ab sorbed inhis ownaffairs,a nd du r in g the  pr evious 
w eek  he h ad see n  no thing  of ei th er Dad dy or  D ora, exc ept that at a
casual me etingin th e s treet wit h D a ddy  that wor thyhad descri bed 
hi s att ack on Pu rcel l  w ith a gus to w o rthy of h i sIri s h  e xtraction.H e  fo und t her estaur antjust shutting, an d  Daddy apparen tlyo n  th e
w i ng f or  the '
 had_been totally_inexcusable.

Then suddenly she broke_into a_laugh._She was_sitting_on the edge
of_the bed, swinging_her feet lightly backwards_and forwards.

'Look here!'_she_said, dropping her voice, and looking round at the
door. 'Do you know a lot_about_Davy's affairs?--you're_a_great
friend_of his, aren't you?'

'I s'pose_so,' said the lad, awkwardly.

'Well,_has he_been making up to anybody that you know_of?'

John's_invisible eyebrows stretched_considerably. He was so
astonished that he did not readily_find an answer.

'Why, of course, I_mean,' said Louie,_impatiently,_'is_he _in
love_ with anybody?'

'Not_that I know of, Miss.'

'Well, then,_there's somebody in love with _him_,'_said Louie,
maliciously; 'and some day, Mr. Dalby,_if we get a chance, perhaps
I'll_tell you all about it.'

The_charming confidential_smile she threw him so_bewildered the lad
that_he hardly_knew where he_was.

But an exasperated shout of 'John'_from the stairs_recalled him,
and he rushed downstairs to_help_David deal with_a_cargo_of books
just_arrived.

That evening David_ran_up to_the_Parlour for half an hour, to_have
a_talk with Daddy and find out what_Dora thought of Louie._He_had
sent a message by_Louie about Reuben's revelations, and_it occurred
to him that since Daddy_had not_been to_look him up since, that
incalculable person might be offended that he_had not brought his
great news in_person. Besides, he had_a very_strong_curiosity to
know what_had_happened after_all to Lucy Purcell, and whether
anything had_been commonly_observed of Purcell's demeanour under
the checkmate_administered to him. For_the_past few days he had
been wholly_absorbed in his own affairs, and_during the previous
week he had_seen_nothing_of either Daddy or Dora,_except that at a
casual meeting in_the street with_Daddy that worthy had described
his attack on_Purcell_with a gusto worthy of his_Irish_extraction.

He found the restaurant just shutting,_and_Daddy_apparently on the
wing for the_'