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Ruby had run away froeon after the dance at the Music Hall, and had declared that she never wanted to see hi her er than her wrath What would life be to her noithout her lover? When she escaped frorandfather's house she certainly had not intended to beco-house The daily toil she could endure, and the hard life, as long as she was supported by the prospect of soh it were three days distant from her, would so occupy her mind that she could wash and dress all the children without complaint Mrs Pipkin was forced to own to herself that Ruby did earn her bread But when she had parted with her lover alain, things were very different with her And perhaps she had been wrong A gentleman like Sir Felix did not of course like to be told about ave him another chance, perhaps he would speak At any rate she could not live without another dance And so she wrote hih what she wrote will hardly bear repeating She underscored all her loves to hiret if she had vexed hientleman But she did want to have another dance at the Music Hall Would he be there next Saturday? Sir Felix sent her a very short reply to say that he would be at the Music Hall on the Tuesday As at this time he proposed to leave London on the Wednesday on his way to New York, he was proposing to devote his very last night to the coles

Mrs Pipkin had never interfered with her niece's letters It is certainly a part of the new dispensation that young women shall send and receive letters without inspection But since Roger Carbury's visit Mrs Pipkin had watched the postman, and had also watched her niece For nearly a week Ruby said not a word of going out at night She took the children for an airing in a broken perambulator, nearly as far as Holloith exeh her mind was intent upon the Mr Carbury's behests She had already hinted so as to which Ruby had made no answer It was her purpose to tell her and to swear to herherself to leave the house after six in the evening,--that she should be kept out the whole night, having a purpose equally clear in her own mind that she would break her oath should she be unsuccessful in her effort to keep Ruby at home But on the Tuesday, when Ruby went up to her rooht idea as to a better precaution struck Mrs Pipkin's mind Ruby had been careless,--had left her lover's scrap of a note in an old pocket when she went out with the children, and Mrs Pipkin knew all about it It was nine o'clock when Ruby went upstairs,--and then Mrs Pipkin locked both the front door and the area gate Mrs Hurtle had coo out to-night;--will you, Mrs Hurtle?' said Mrs Pipkin, knocking at her lodger's door Mrs Hurtle declared her purpose of re 'If you should hear words between me and my niece, don't you mind, ma'am'