s of breakfast on the long deal table, then at Pol

way! if I may so express myself. It does a m

r, that's all, and I mean her well, little as she deserves it. Now, you, Moggie, don't stand gahpin' there git them brea

of the man's good nature. He wore a suit of coarse tweed, a brown bowler hat, a blue cotton shirt with white stock and horseshoe pin, rough brown leggings, tan boots, and in his hand was a dog-whip. This costume signified that Mr. Gammon felt at leisure, contrasting as strongly as possible with the garb in which he was wont to go about his ordinary business-that of commercial traveller. He had a liking for dogs, and kept a number of them in the back premises of an inn at Dulwich, whither he usually repaired on Sundays. When at Dulwich, Mr. Gammon fancied himself in completely rural seclusion; it seemed to him that he had shaken off the dust of cit

s," he replied to Mrs. Bubb. "Polly won'

I'll thank you not to be so familiar with my name. If you don

s of Mr. Gammon; her abundance of auburn hair, her high colour, her full lips and excellent teeth, her finely-developed bust, and the freedom of her poses (which always appeared to challenge admiration and anticipate impertinence) had their effectiveness against a kitchen background, and did not entirely lose it when she flitted ab

ued in a conciliatory tone. "A lovely little button-ear?

I don't ca

t the dog for a lady. No? Or a sweet little black-and-tan-just turning fifteen pounds,

" replied Miss Spa

n' to business?" a

line in the fancy leather; it wouldn't go, and I told them the reason, but that wasn't good enough. They hinted th

and an odd vibration of the upp

y, you are," said Mrs. Bubb

ose my temper, but I've taken pattern by Polly-I mean Miss Sparkes-and now I do it quietly. T

spoke-answered wi

you ever heard your un

he felt a momentary embarrassment. It passed,

Never hea

him till I got to know his place of business and his name. For a minute or two I thought I'd found your uncle; I really did. Gosh! I said to myse

joke nor resented the name; she wa

him," said Mrs. Bub

saw, and I shan't be satisfied till I've got to know if he has any connexion with the name of Clover.

rom her belt a gold watch, and deliberately consulted it. Observing this Mr

remarked in an off-hand way

Mrs. Clover?"

g there. It's alw

away for five years," said Mrs. Bubb with a renewal

d and went a

a lower voice, "I'd give that young woman notice to quit. Her chee

where does

to think ill of the girl, but there's jolly queer goin's-on

s brows and gazed

h her except her cheek and temper. She'll have to be taken down a peg one of these days, but

o the room, bri

te satisfaction. "'Please explain absence. Hope nothing wrong.' How kind of them, ain't it! Yesterday

te upon it in pencil, every letter beautifu

n't a-goin' to send that!" exclaimed Mrs. Bubb,

They're like Polly-wa

he waiting boy, and Mr. Gammon lau

tle bull-pup, Mrs. Bu

e enough pups of my own,