“It’s quite close to where we are now,” she told him. “It’s rather more expensive than the last one, but it’s well worth the extra money, and”––she glanced up at him smilingly––“I’m better off to-day than I was yesterday,” she explained. “And when I go back to work again–––”

“Are you going back, then?” he asked quickly.

“Of course I am. I must do something, and they will take me back at Eldred’s, I know–––”

“Eldred’s!” Micky frowned. “That’s the petticoat shop, isn’t it?”

She laughed.

“Yes; how did you know?”

He shrugged his shoulders.

“I’ve seen the place lots of times. A girl I know buys all her–––” He stopped. “Do you want to go back there?” he asked.

“Not particularly, but it’s easier than looking for a fresh place, and I know they will take me. I’m in the workroom, and it’s not really such a hard life.”

Micky did some rapid thinking; it was surprising how easily his brain had taken to hard work during the last twenty-four hours.

“Why don’t you get a job as a companion to a nice old lady or somebody?” he suggested vaguely.

She laughed again.

“It doesn’t sound a bit attractive,” she said frankly. 41 “I think you need an awful lot of patience. It’s very kind of you to be interested, but I think I shall go back to Eldred’s, for a time, at least.”

41

Micky did not like the idea at all, but he let the subject drop.

“Are you going back to the Brixton Road?” he asked after a moment.

“Oh no; I paid them before I left this afternoon, so I shall go straight to the new place.”

“I should like to walk there with you, if I may,” said Micky.

“Of course you may.”

“And when shall I see you again?” he asked. “You’re not going to vanish for days, are you? I’ve got no end of time to kill, and–––”

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