Loftus laughed.

"There are ways and means," he said. "Am I going to take all the bloom
off that young cheek by letting its owner into the secrets of Vanity
Fair? Come Kitty, go to bed, and don't fret about me, I'll manage
somehow."

"Loftus, how much money do you want mother to lend you?"

"What a persistent child you are. You positively look frightened. Well,
three fifty will do for the present. That oughtn't to stump anyone,
ought it?"

"I suppose not," answered Kate, in a bewildered way.

She put her hand to her forehead, bade her brother good-night, and
sought her room.

"Three hundred and fifty pounds!" she murmured. "And mother won't buy
herrings more than eightpence a dozen! And we scarcely eat any meat, and
lately we have begun even to save the bread. Three hundred and fifty
pounds! Well, I won't tell Mabel. Does Mabel really know the world
better than I do, and is it wrong of me in spite of everything to love
Loftus?"




CHAPTER VI.