"When you get a colour," he said, "you look like a schoolgirl." "As a matter of fact, I shan't see twenty again." "Do you want to?" "No," she replied candidly; "I'm as happy just now as ever I want to be. It'll always be something to look back upon." "I wish," he said with earnestness, "that you wouldn't talk as though our friendship was only going to be temporary." "We never know our luck," she remarked. "Aunt was saying only the other evening, 'Gertie,' she said--Now I've been and let you know my name." He repeated it twice quietly to himself. "Have you been fond of any one before this?" she asked. The girl had so many questions that her mind jumped from one topic to another. "Oh yes," he answered. "When I was a schoolboy at Winchester I fell in love--deeply in love. She was a widow, and kept a confectioner's shop. Good shop, too." "Nothing more serious than that?" He shook his head. "Glad I'm the first," she said. "And I wish my plan for getting you acquainted with aunt had come off the other night. It would have made it all seem more legal, somehow." "We'll manage it," he promised. "Meanwhile, and always, don't forget that you are my dear sweetheart." Miss Radford called at Praed Street, inquiring anxiously; and Mrs. Mills, summoning invention to her aid, said Gertie was not in. Mrs. Mills followed this up by mentioning that an occasional visit from Miss Radford could be tolerated, but it was not necessary for her to be always in and out of the place. Miss Radford, asserting that she never forced her company upon any one, swung out of the shop; and Mrs. Mills said to the cat that they did not want too many flighters about. "Why, Mr. Bulpert!" With a quick change of manner to a newcomer. "This is a pleasant surprise. Mr. Trew was talking about you not two days ago." The young man took the chair near the counter and, giving it a twirl, sat down heavily, and rested his chin on the back. "I'm putting on too much avoirdupois," he said gloomily. "Saturday, I had to get into evening dress, and it was as much as I could do to make the waistcoat buttons meet." "You ought to take more exercise." "What's the use of talking like that? If I take more exercise, I find myself with a bigger appetite, and then I'm worse off than ever." He dismissed the problem as insoluble. "Where's Gertie? I've got a new recitation that she'd very much like to hear. I place a certain value on her criticism." "I'll call her down. And, Mr. Bulpert, I want you to be as nice and pleasant to her as you can. I had to talk rather sharply to her not many days ago; now I'd like to make it up. I'm bound to say she took it very well." "You won't forget," he urged, "that I'm a man who can always get any amount of refined society. Sought after as I am for _al fresco_ concerts and what not--" "I know," agreed Mrs. Mills. "Only Gertie hasn't many friends, and I want her, just now, to make the most of 'em."