Mr Shute regarded her with some displeasure.

'Seems to be ace-high with you, that dub,' he said.

'I don't understand you.'

'My observation was,' explained Mr Shute, coldly, 'that, judging from
appearances, that dough-faced lemon was Willie-boy, the first and only
love.'

Maud turned on him with flaming cheeks.

'Mr Welsh is nothing to me! Nothing! Nothing!' she cried.

She walked quickly on.

'Then, if there's a vacancy, star-eyes,' said the pugilist at her side,
holding on a hat which showed a tendency to wobble, 'count me in.
Directly I saw you--see here, what's the idea of this road-work? We
aren't racing--'

Maud slowed down.

'That's better. As I was saying, directly I saw you, I said to myself,
"That's the one you need. The original candy kid. The--"'

His hat lurched drunkenly as he answered the girl's increase of speed.
He cursed it in a brief aside.

'That's what I said. "The original candy kid." So--'