"You're not to go touching the front room mind," said Miriam.

"_Who's_ going to touch yer front room?" said Mrs. Larkins, apparently
forgetful for a moment of Mr. Polly.

Both girls dressed with some care while Mrs. Larkins sketched the
better side of their characters, and then the three young people went
out to see something of Stamton. In the streets their risible mood
gave way to a self-conscious propriety that was particularly evident
in Miriam's bearing. They took Mr. Polly to the Stamton Wreckeryation
ground--that at least was what they called it--with its handsome
custodian's cottage, its asphalt paths, its Jubilee drinking fountain,
its clumps of wallflower and daffodils, and so to the new cemetery and
a distant view of the Surrey hills, and round by the gasworks to the
canal to the factory, that presently disgorged a surprised and radiant
Annie.

"El-_lo_" said Annie.

It is very pleasant to every properly constituted mind to be a centre
of amiable interest for one's fellow creatures, and when one is a
young man conscious of becoming mourning and a certain wit, and the
fellow creatures are three young and ardent and sufficiently
expressive young women who dispute for the honour of walking by one's
side, one may be excused a secret exaltation. They did dispute.

"I'm going to '_ave_ 'im now," said Annie. "You two've been 'aving 'im
all the afternoon. Besides, I've got something to say to him."

She had something to say to him. It came presently. "I say," she said