350 ANGEL PAVEMENT

again." The hand that was still in his overcoat pocket
tried to make a sweeping gesture, with the result that his
overcoat brushed the top of one of the little tables and
emptied a box of cigarettes on to the floor.

"Look what you've done now/' cried Miss Golspie,
greatly entertained.

"Oh, I'm sorry," muttered Turgis, confused and
sweating now with sheer awkwardness and shyness.
Til pick them up."

"Wait a minute. Take your overcoat off and put your
hat down, and then you'll feel much better. That's
right. Dump them down there—anywhere. Now you
can pick the cigarettes up and you can also give me one
of them. Take one yourself." Unsteadily, he lit her
cigarette, picked up the others, and then lit his own.
"Now what about the money?" she continued. "What
do I have to do to get it?"

"Only sign this receipt," he explained. "You ought
to count it first to see if it's all right."

When they had concluded this little transaction, she
said suddenly: "Have you had any tea?"

"No, I haven't," said Turgis promptly.

"Well, I haven't either. I was too lazy to make it.
The maid's out to-day. Let's have some, shall we?
Most of it's ready on a tray, but I just couldn't bother
boiling some water and making the tea. You come and
help and then you shall have some." He followed her
into the little kitchen, where he filled a kettle and
watched it come to the boil while she chattered in a
drifting haze of cigarette smoke and languidly produced
another cup and saucer and some things to eat. Then,
when everything was ready, he carried the tray into the
other room and set it down on a low table in front of the