"Our reporter did not ask why, Sophy's tone convincing him that the observation was intended to express a state of infinite content, and had no reference whatever to Mrs. Middlemore. "'Now, Sophy,' he said, 'are you ready to tell me all you know?' "'I'll tell yer a lot,' said Sophy, and if you ain't sapparized--well, there!' "Another colloquialism, which our reporter perfectly understood. "'What will your aunt say?' he asked--they had left the shop, and were walking side by side--'to your coming home late?' "'Wot she likes,' replied Sophy, with a disdainful disregard of consequences. 'If she don't like it she may lump it. Don't frighten yerself; she's used to it by this time. Where are you going to take me?' "Our reporter had settled this in his mind. 'To my rooms, where we can talk without interruption.' "'Oh, but I say,' exclaimed Sophy, 'won't they stare!' "'There will be no one to do that, Sophy, and you will be quite safe.' "Sophy nodded, and kept step with him as well as she could. It was not easy, by reason of her boots being odd, and not only too large for her feet, but in a woful state of dilapidation. In one of the narrow streets through which they passed, a second-hand clothing shop was open, in the window of which were displayed some half-dozen pairs of children's boots. A good idea occurred to him. "'Your boots are worn out, Sophy.' "'There's 'ardly any sole to 'em,' remarked Sophy. "'Would a pair of those fit you?' "'Oh, come along. I don't want to be made game of.' "'I am not doing so, Sophy,' said our reporter, slipping three half-crowns into her hand. 'Go in, and buy the nicest pair you can; and mind they fit you properly.' "Sophy raised her eyes to his face, and our reporter observed, without making any remark thereon, that they were quite pretty eyes, large, and of a beautiful shade of brown, and now with a soft light in them. She went into the shop silently, and returned, radiant and grateful, shod as a human being ought to be. "'Do yer like 'em?' she asked, putting one foot on the ledge of the shop window. "'They look very nice,' he said. 'I hope they're a good fit?' "'They're proper. 'Ere's yer change, and I'm ever so much obliged to yer.' "The words were commonplace, but her voice was not. There was in it a note of tearful gratefulness which was abundant payment for an act of simple kindness. Utilitarians and political economists may smile at our statement that we owe the poor a great deal, and that but for them we should not enjoy some of the sweetest emotions by which the human heart can be stirred." CHAPTER XIV. SOPHY IMPARTS STRANGE NEWS TO THE REPORTER OF THE "EVENING MOON."