Eve's Ransom

architectural interests never failed-sought rest and coolness in a Fleet Street tavern of time-honoured name. It

the sounds of Fleet Street made music to his ears; he looked with joyous benignity into the fa

ke powerless over me; I live in the glorious sunlight of this summer day, under the benediction of a greathearted wine. Noble wine! Friend of the friendless, companio

hedrals of France. Five guineas was the price it bore. A moment's lingering, restrained by some ignoble spirit of thrift which the wine had not utterly overcome, and he entered the shop. He purc

r so much instant delight and su

es upwards to the great snowy clouds that gleamed upon the profound blue. Some ragged children were at play near him; he searched h

stance. He set off to walk northward, came out into Holborn, and loitered in the neighbourhood of a certain place of business, which of late he had

rceived him wi

f it's disagreeable to you, tell me

, with a smile of self-possession. "But all the

You look tired this evening. I have something to s

s walk str

g as this I can't go back and appease hunger in that animal way. But when I sit down in the restaurant I shall be alone. It's miserable to see the groups

't do

the impos

n't like

to talk; only to let me talk to you. Give me an hour or two of your time-

is entreaties kept pace wit

same to me-if

u a thous

a nook which gave assurance of privacy, sketched to the waiter a modest but carefully chosen repast, and from his seat on the opposite side of the table laughed s

ere than going home in

cour

. When you said that you couldn't come, it was what you really

t made up my mind that it was all t

think it so. It puts me at my ease. I have nothing to repro

who would come with you? H

Ringrose are the only p

tand why you li

it's harder than making money-which I have

yes, and again se

money came to me that I am living on now. It'l

with frank curiosity, with an amused smile. Then came a lull in the conversation. Hilliard began his dinner wi

Hilliard at length, "wh

thing to put mysel

something more of myself. You say that Mr

't have known you fr

ard l

you so di

fully. "But you seem altogether a diffe

saying that you, Miss Madeley, are as different as possible from

I should so like to

ence. Hilliard drank a glass of wine and s

if I let you know the facts while dinner goes on it won't be so tireso

lously avoided the pathetic note, a fair notion of what his existence had been from boyhood upward. It supplemented the account of himself she ha

. "That's a friend of mine at Birmingham-a man called Narramore. When I got Denga

ven't told me," rem

ght away from all the sights and sounds that I hated, and to

u mean by a

t, this evening. I have had enjoyable hours since I left Dudley, but never yet one like this. And b

ou owe the enjoyment, whatever i

there! If I could have seen you each evening for an hour or two, had dinner with you at the restaurant, talked with you about what I had seen in the day-

you do i

ifteen years or so. Learned to talk a little French.

way off when you were there

ought once of going to Par

r brows, and m