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looking for a thinga something 。 。 。 Sometimes
I think I am a sort of Gambucino myself。〃
〃No woman can hold you； then；〃 she began in
a brazen voice； which quavered suddenly before the
end。
〃No longer than a week；〃 he joked； playing
upon her very heartstrings with the gay； tender
note of his laugh； 〃and yet I am fond of them
all。 Anything for a woman of the right sort。
The scrapes they got me into； and the scrapes they
got me out of！ I love them at first sight。 I've
fallen in love with you already； MissBessie's your
nameeh？〃
She backed away a little； and with a trembling
laugh：
〃You haven't seen my face yet。〃
He bent forward gallantly。 〃A little pale： it
suits some。 But you are a fine figure of a girl； Miss
Bessie。〃
She was all in a flutter。 Nobody had ever said
so much to her before。
His tone changed。 〃I am getting middling
hungry； though。 Had no breakfast to…day。
Couldn't you scare up some bread from that tea
for me； or〃
She was gone already。 He had been on the point
of asking her to let him come inside。 No matter。
Anywhere would do。 Devil of a fix！ What would
his chum think？
〃I didn't ask you as a beggar；〃 he said； jest…
ingly； taking a piece of bread…and…butter from the
plate she held before him。 〃I asked as a friend。
My dad is rich； you know。〃
〃He starves himself for your sake。〃
〃And I have starved for his whim；〃 he said； tak…
ing up another piece。
〃All he has in the world is for you；〃 she
pleaded。
〃Yes； if I come here to sit on it like a dam' toad
in a hole。 Thank you； and what about the shovel；
eh？ He always had a queer way of showing his
love。〃
〃I could bring him round in a week；〃 she sug…
gested； timidly。
He was too hungry to answer her； and； holding
the plate submissively to his hand； she began to
whisper up to him in a quick； panting voice。 He
listened； amazed； eating slower and slower； till at
last his jaws stopped altogether。 〃That's his
game； is it？〃 he said； in a rising tone of scathing
contempt。 An ungovernable movement of his arm
sent the plate flying out of her fingers。 He shot
out a violent curse。
She shrank from him； putting her hand against
the wall。
〃No！〃 he raged。 〃He expects！ Expects ME
for his rotten money！ 。 。 。 。 Who wants his
home？ Madnot he！ Don't you think。 He
wants his own way。 He wanted to turn me into a
miserable lawyer's clerk； and now he wants to make
of me a blamed tame rabbit in a cage。 Of me！ Of
me！〃 His subdued angry laugh frightened her
now。
〃The whole world ain't a bit too big for me to
spread my elbows in； I can tell youwhat's your
nameBessielet alone a dam' parlour in a hutch。
Marry！ He wants me to marry and settle！ And
as likely as not he has looked out the girl too
dash my soul！ And do you know the Judy； may
I ask？〃
She shook all over with noiseless dry sobs； but
he was fuming and fretting too much to notice her
distress。 He bit his thumb with rage at the mere
idea。 A window rattled up。
〃A grinning； information fellow；〃 pronounced
old Hagberd dogmatically； in measured tones。
And the sound of his voice seemed to Bessie to make
the night itself madto pour insanity and dis…
aster on the earth。 〃Now I know what's wrong
with the people here； my dear。 Why； of course！
With this mad chap going about。 Don't you have
anything to do with him； Bessie。 Bessie； I say！〃
They stood as if dumb。 The old man fidgeted
and mumbled to himself at the window。 Suddenly
he cried； piercingly： 〃BessieI see you。 I'll tell
Harry。〃
She made a movement as if to run away； but
stopped and raised her hands to her temples。
Young Hagberd； shadowy and big； stirred no more
than a man of bronze。 Over their heads the crazy
night whimpered and scolded in an old man's voice。
〃Send him away； my dear。 He's only a vaga…
bond。 What you want is a good home of your own。
That chap has no homehe's not like Harry。 He
can't be Harry。 Harry is coming to…morrow。 Do
you hear？ One day more；〃 he babbled more ex…
citedly； 〃never you fearHarry shall marry
you。〃
His voice rose very shrill and mad against the
regular deep soughing of the swell coiling heavily
about the outer face of the sea…wall。
〃He will have to。 I shall make him； or if not〃
he swore a great oath〃I'll cut him off with a
shilling to…morrow； and leave everything to you。
I shall。 To you。 Let him starve。〃
The window rattled down。
Harry drew a deep breath； and took one step
toward Bessie。 〃So it's youthe girl；〃 he said；
in a lowered voice。 She had not moved； and she re…
mained half turned away from him； pressing her
head in the palms of her hands。 〃My word！〃 he
continued； with an invisible half…smile on his lips。
〃I have a great mind to stop。 。 。 。〃
Her elbows were trembling violently。
〃For a week；〃 he finished without a pause。
She clapped her hands to her face。
He came up quite close； and took hold of her
wrists gently。 She felt his breath on her ear。
〃It's a scrape I am inthis； and it is you that
must see me through。〃 He was trying to uncover
her face。 She resisted。 He let her go then； and
stepping back a little； 〃Have you got any
money？〃 he asked。 〃I must be off now。〃
She nodded quickly her shamefaced head； and he
waited； looking away from her； while； trembling
all over and bowing her neck； she tried to find the
pocket of her dress。
〃Here it is！〃 she whispered。 〃Oh； go away！
go away for God's sake！ If I had moremore
I would give it all to forgetto make you for…
get。〃
He extended his hand。 〃No fear！ I haven't
forgotten a single one of you in the world。 Some
gave me more than moneybut I am a beggar now
and you women always had to get me out of my
scrapes。〃
He swaggered up to the parlour window； and in
the dim light filtering through the blind； looked at
the coin lying in his palm。 It was a half…sovereign。
He slipped it into his pocket。 She stood a little on
one side； with her head drooping； as if wounded；
with her arms hanging passive by her side； as if
dead。
〃You can't buy me in；〃 he said； 〃and you can't
buy yourself out。〃