SIMMONS BROUGHT OVER. 47

which were the show roses, of course I went
and cut them;” and at the recollection of the
catastrophe a sob rises to my throat which
nearly chokes me, but I force it back, as I
feel it will not be dignified to give way
before Simmons; and clearing my voice I go
on, “ Well, I've made up my mind to get
more in their place, and I have arranged
everything excepting how I am to get to
M—,, so if you'll only be kind and help me
I expect I shall pull through all right; of
course,” I add, “this is in strict confidence,
you know.”

“Yes, of course, Miss Madge,” says Sim-
mons, and he does not look quite so alarmed
as he did. Then he takes up his pipe, and
after knocking it out, slowly begins to refill it,
while I sit on the edge of the barrow and
watch his movements with anxiety. After
weighing the subject and looking at it from
all points of view, he puts his pipe down
again and says, “ 1 understand what it is now,
and I think I can manage it for you and keep
it quiet too; so if you tell me what time you