Happy Pollyooly: The Rich Little Poor Girl

ge Club, but she did not know whether she could reach it in time to find him there, for it was now a quarter of two. It did not seem to h

he entered. She had been going to take the Lump for a walk on the embankment; she must postpo

host which would be the better for her mending. A brief examination of his wardrobe showed her that her surmise was accurate: there was at least a month's hard mending to be done before that wardrobe would contain garments really worthy of the name of underclothing. She decided to begin by darning his socks, for she ch

he went to it in some trepidation, expecting to find a raging Butterwick on the threshold. She

signation with which he was wont to intervene in the

Hilary Vance were in. Pollyooly told him t

walking down the passage

o say that Mr. Vance has at last found the lady of his dreams and is engaged to be married to a florist's assistant of the name of Flossie. I exp

her quite. But he's expecting t

James in a tone of some exa

ir and a very large hat with lots

broke in Mr. Jam

erself airs beca

pposed," said M

Mr. Reginald Butterw

a faint gleam of hope brightened his fa

ck the stuffing out of any one, because he boxes at the Chiswick Polytechnic. And

would do Hilary a world of good," he added in a vengeful

hurt ever so badly,"

stubborn; then it s

inger broken; and that wouldn't do. I suppose we mu

t, if we can," said

er it; and I shall catch him there. I'll keep him out all t

e much the best," said

ly to the door. At i

ot be a game of Spelka; and he may come straight h

back and not know anything about Mr. Butterwick

t himself out of the house.

ront door was opened, and the passage and studio quivered gently to Hilary Vance's w

l the round expanse of his face. But as he read, the smile faded, gi

e is this?" he

g out of you, Mr. Vance, and he might be he

What's it got to do with

said Pollyooly, faithfully rep

the liveliest surprise, dismay, and horror. "Oh,

sat down on the floor with a violence which shook the house. He sprang up, smothered, out of regard for the age and sex of Pollyooly, some language suggested by the occurrence, and with a terrific kick sent

erly upon the floor, grou

him limb from limb! The insidious villain! I'll

ed before becoming the housekeeper of the Honourable John Ruffin, leapt joyfully at the thought of the fray, in spite of her friendship with Hilary

oxer. He boxes at the Chiswick P

Vance ferociously; and he strode up and down the studio,

s prowess had impressed her too deeply to permit her to believe that an

es and makes their noses b

ed Hilary Vance, still ferociously,

nybody is, if they don't know

I!" roared H

is aching toes were growing easier. Then he sank into a chair

el's blood. I'll teach

ly, and Pollyooly anxiously watched his wor

what women are-treachery for treachery's sake. Why should I destroy the poor wretch whose hear

roy him-if he's such a good bo

d certainty. "But to what purpose? Would it give me back my unstain

growing sorrowful. Then a sud

hand. Why should I give this blackguard a chance of m

aid Pollyooly, answering the

-months before I could work again. Why, I m

r. James was afraid

and there was far more uneasiness than pleasure i

if you were engaged

said Hilary Va

told him y

" he said in a

we must sto

d Hilary Vance solemnly. "After all it is

ocking on the front do

aid Pollyooly i

arms, and faced the door of the studio

nd him away?" said

good half-minute. Then he let his arms fall to his sides, walked with a ve

ter send him aw

in, she heard him (Mr. Vance) turn hi

front door a young man whose flashing eye proclaimed him Mr. Regina

dio with an air of splendid intrepidity, which would have been more splendid had he been thr

Pollyooly and

ll taken aback by the young man's lack of the formidable largeness Flossie had

's somewhere

back?" snappe

h less hesitation; and she look

ng man in as bloodcurdling a tone as his size would

scowling round the studio; th

plenty of r

ghter on guard and danced two steps to

ess. He was indeed uncommonly slender. In fact, either he had forgotten to tell Flossie that he was a featherweight boxer, or she had forgott

utterwick. She took up again the gigantic sock she was mending; and she kept looking up from it to observe with an easy eye the pride of the Polytechnic as he walked round the studio examining the draperies, the pictur

in a bitterly

guv'ner thinks he's got t

now," said

easel, danced lightly on h

e artistic temper

yes fell on the gigantic sock she was darning. She saw his expression change; s

at you're darning

ck," said

sock is it?" said Mr. Reginald Butterwick; and

and with gentle pride she held it up in a

steps to the right, looking askance at the sock

r? Eh?" he said in a

was!" cried Pollyoo

looked still more earnes

se tall lan

y quickly. "He's tremendously big-broad and thick as wel

aid Mr. Reginald Butterwick; and he laughe

ly strong. Why-why-when he heard you were coming he smashed that

ragments of the chair in the corner; and his fac

d he?" he s

ar you limb from limb. He

" said Mr. Reginald Butterwick;

te easily," said Po

shut it again. Then he whistled a short, defiant whistle which went out of tune toward the end. Th

o but wait here all the afternoon for yo

," said Polly

," said Mr. Reginald

ly said

reshold he paused and added: "But you tell your guv'ner from me-Mr. Reginald Butterwick-that he hasn't seen the last of me-not by

avily behind him. The front door was larger and heavi