The Matador of the Five Towns and Other Stories

fect on Edward Coe-the effect which it has on everybody. Little by little it inspired

d have loose gold in their pockets, and eat and drink and smoke well; and to know that a magnificent woman will be waiting for you at a certain place at a certain hour, and that upon catching sight of you her dark orbs will ta

guess that untoward destiny was waiting

ed, perhaps, eleven, dressed in blue serge, with a short frock and long legs, and a sailor hat (H.M.S. Formidable), and

led. But he was right upon her before he saw

ternoon,

im

nd! The very people from whom he wished to conceal his honeymoon until it was over would know all about it at the very start! Relations between the two Olives would be still m

ke English perfectly-and yet with a difference! They had flirted together, she and Mr Coe. She had a new mother now, but for years she had been w

d shook hands and tr

doing here, Mi

he went on rapidly, with a screwing up of the childish shoulders and something between a laugh and a grin: "It's my back. It seem

orst of strained relations. You wer

?" he

ean. Near the big girls' school. We came in on that lovely e

hazard of fate was truly appalling. He and his wife might have walke

the others?" he

mma's at home. Father may come to-night. And Ada has brought us here s

da

see how long the barber will be." Mimi indicated a bar

confidential tone, "

"Yes." She smiled

n't tell anybody you'

t J

tell-when I give you the tip. I do

y put a cajoling tone into his voice. He would not have done it if Mimi had not been Mimi-if she had been an ordinary sort of

rom the barber's, he remembered with compunction that