Part 43 (2/2)

The cook, whose naness to provide this dinner, and Mrs Martin went up to the drawing-rooht a fire here, Matilda,” she said ”It's going to be a very cold day”

”I'd a sight rayther you called ot on my 'eart when you say Mat-tilda”

”'Matilda' is nity

”Oh yes, 'uie be coirl Miss Maggie is at school”

”So I 'ave 'eard,” said Matilda ”You 'aven't give me no 'olidays, 'um, sence I come to yer; and it were understood, sure-_ly_, that I were to 'ave o out to-htest wish to keep you indoors against your will”

”To-o the next day”

”Thank you, 'uive ood idea,” said Mrs Martin ”I could write her a little note, and you could take it to her That's very thoughtful of you, Tilda Yes, I should like you to go and bring in' I am to lay eyes on 'er, mum She's a bee-utiful ith 'er,” said Matilda

When she was quite alone Mrs Martin took that letter of Maggie's, which she had received during her husband's absence, from her pocket

She was terrified lest Bo-peep should read it The letter had offended her Maggie had written with great fire and distress: ”You must not let him come here All will be up with me if he is seen at the school

For the sake of my own father, keep him from Aylmer House”

Mrs Martin slipped it back into her pocket, and then sat by her coood Bo-peep He was a very playful creature His one idea of happiness consisted in endless jokes--practical jokes or otherwise, just as it suited him at the moment

He had done a very successful stroke of business in Liverpool, and was returning to Laburnuhest spirits While he was in the train he was planning how he couldat his own hall-door, or to open it with a latch-key, or to walk in in the ordinary fashi+on of the master of the house did not content him at all He must invent a more novelShe suited him to perfection What he called her ”fine-lady airs,” when they were displayed to any one but hiracious and sweet He really loved her after his own fashi+on, and would do anything in his power to make her happy But he must, as he expressed it, have his joke

Mrs Martin was seated by the fire in the drawing-roo to an expressed wish of Bo-peep, the -blinds had not yet been dran He liked, as he said, to see his home before he entered it Mrs Martin, therefore, with the electric light on, was perfectly visible frouessed that this would be the case, and he stopped the cab at a little distance fro, and walked softly down the street He went and stood outside theHe looked in The street was a quiet one, and at that moment there were no passers-by Mrs Martin was seated in her siven her, with her profile towards hiht her very beautiful indeed His heart swelled with pride She belonged to him He hated fine ladies, as a rule; but a fine lady as his very oas a differenta letter Who could have been writing to Little-sing?

Suddenly it occurred to him to slip down the area steps and stand close under theHe did so, to the terror of cook and Tildy

Cook was about to screanized her master

”It's his joke,” she said ”'E's a wonderful man for jokes Don't let on to Mrs Martin that 'e's 'ere for your life 'E'll do so so comic in a minute”

The coing in a harsh baritone the song of the Troubadour:

”Gaily the Troubadour Touched his guitar, When he was hastening Ho, 'From Palestine Hither I come

Ladye love! ladye love!

Welcoave a shriek She had the presence of mind to pop her letter into her pocket Then she approached the , treht, let himself in by the back way, and ran up the stairs

”Little-sing!” he said, and clasped his wife in his arms