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Billie had been standing near the wall, inspecting a portrait of the late Mr Josiah Appleby, of which the kindest thing one can say is that one hopes it did not do hiainst this wall, as if she were trying to get through it The edge of the portrait's fraht, but in this supreme moment she did not even notice it

"Er--how do you do?" she said

If she had not been an exceedingly pretty girl, one would have said that she spoke squeakily The fighting spirit of the Bennetts, though it was considerable fighting spirit, had not risen to this e in its place a cold panic She had seen this sort of thing in the ers of Diana, where so of the kind had happened to the heroine in every reel--but she had not anticipated that it would ever happen to her: and consequently she had not thought out any plan for coping with such a situation A grave error In this world one should be prepared for everything, or where is one? The best she could do was to stand and stare at the intruder It would have done Saood--he had now finished the synopsis and was skih the current instalment--if he could have kno she yearned for his return

"I've brought the revolver," said Mr Peters

"So--so I see!" said Billie

Mr Peters nursed the weapon affectionately in his hand He was rather a shy man o interested in his revolver had irl

"I was just on e," he said "Then I thought I ht as well look in here"

"I suppose--I suppose you're a good shot?" quavered Billie

"I seldomthat the longer she engaged thisback in time to save her, she essayed further sly!"

"Oh, no!" said Mr Peters, hurt

Billie perceived that she had said the wrong thing

"Very deadly-looking, I meant," she corrected herself hastily

"It may have deadly work to do, Miss Milliken," said Mr Peters

Conversation languished again Billie had no further reling with a return of the deplorable shyness which so handicapped his with the other sex After a few ain, and, as his first act was to replace the pistol in the pocket of his coat, Billie beca of relief