As a
matter of fact, we are clearing them out at a special reduction price of
twenty-six shillings. They are going off rather fast."
"I'll take it," said the lady, eagerly digging some coins out of her
purse.
"Will you take it as it is?" asked Cyprian; "it will be a matter of a few
minutes to get it wrapped up, there is such a crush."
"Never mind, I'll take it as it is," said the purchaser, clutching her
treasure and counting the money into Cyprian's palm.
Several kind strangers helped Adela into the open air.
"It's the crush and the heat," said one sympathiser to another; "it's
enough to turn anyone giddy."
When she next came across Cyprian he was standing in the crowd that
pushed and jostled around the counters of the book department. The dream
look was deeper than ever in his eyes. He had just sold two books of
devotion to an elderly Canon.
THE QUINCE TREE
"I've just been to see old Betsy Mullen," announced Vera to her aunt,
Mrs. Bebberly Cumble; "she seems in rather a bad way about her rent. She
owes about fifteen weeks of it, and says she doesn't know where any of it
is to come from."
"Betsy Mullen always is in difficulties with her rent, and the more
people help her with it the less she troubles about it," said the aunt.
"I certainly am not going to assist her any more. The fact is, she will
have to go into a smaller and cheaper cottage; there are several to be
had at the other end of the village for half the rent that she is paying,
or supposed to be paying, now.
Pages:
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147