No More Learning

I'll make it worth
your while. You see. " The sightless eyes turned towards her and Bessie
saw.

"It isn't taking you out of your way? " he said hesitatingly. "I can ask
a policeman if it is. "

"Not at all. I come on at seven and I'm off at four. That's easy hours. "

"Good God! --but I'm on all the time. I wish I had some work to do too.
Let's go home, Bess. "

He turned and cannoned into a man on the sidewalk, recoiling with an
oath. Bessie took his arm and said nothing--as she had said nothing when
he had ordered her to turn her face a little more to the light.
They
walked for some time in silence, the girl steering him deftly through
the crowd.

"And where's--where's Mr. Torpenhow? " she inquired at last.

"He has gone away to the desert. "

"Where's that? "

Dick pointed to the right. "East--out of the mouth of the river," said
he.

"Then west, then south, and then east again, all along the under-side
of Europe. Then south again, God knows how far. " The explanation did
not enlighten Bessie in the least, but she held her tongue and looked to
Dick's patch till they came to the chambers.

"We'll have tea and muffins," he said joyously. "I can't tell you,
Bessie, how glad I am to find you again. What made you go away so
suddenly? "

"I didn't think you'd want me any more," she said, emboldened by his
ignorance.

"I didn't, as a matter of fact--but afterwards--At any rate I'm glad
you've come.