…sentiments so that you need not be surprised at my asking you into my dining-room, which I have observed you admiring from the road for some little time. Oh! Bother the sergeant, he won’t see you, and you need only stay a few minutes, just to taste a bit of the good fare which you will find every bit as good as it smells.’ He badgered me so, sir, that in the end I gave in, and after assuring myself that the sergeant was nowhere about, I slipped through the doorway and into the dining-room. The gentleman very thoughtfully drew down the blind, and, bidding me be seated, left the room.”Well, I said to myself, ‘ here’s a pretty go” and no mistake! Here I am, P.C. Hardy K. 202, supposed to be on his beat, and stumping along towards the Common — instead of which he is the guest…

…— so beautiful” that I thought I should never tire looking at her. Pooh! Lil, you needn’t be jealous, old girl! She is none of my sort, anyhow.”Now!” she exclaimed with a queer kind of snarl, as she took off the glove of her left hand so as to show me the tell-tale band of gold on the third finger — ” now, Mr. Bailey, are you satisfied ? There is nothing of the missionary about me, is there?” And when I saw the long, pointed nails, pink and polished like sea-shells, just as I’ve always been told they do them at the lady-barber’s, I coughed. Observe my astuteness, Lil. I saw now that she was no prig from a church or chapel, but a member of what folks call “The Smart Set.” Yet how did she know Mr. Towell, and what brought her here? Was she one of us…

…young woman), came Martha — Martha wearing one of those short skirts so popular with the depraved aristocracy, and her feet — bare!””Only her feet?” I exclaimed. ” Was that all?””All! ‘‘My companion sighed reproachfully —”all! And was not that enough, and more than enough? Bare feet! Oh, how indecent! But I can assure you, much though the devil tempted me, I did not look twice at them. I kept my eyes glued to my cup. And her mother — her mother! Oh, how shocked she was!’ Martha!’ she screamed, clutching hold of me for support, ‘Martha! Are you bereft of your senses? Whatever has come over you? And before Mr. Simpson, of all people!What mortification!’ ‘Well, ma, neither of you need talk!’ Martha retorted, her face one broad, shameless grin. ‘Neither need pa, for he is dealing out the groceries in just the same plight. Oh, what a day…