MISS MAT FIELD'S NEW YEAR 413

morning, had gone out quite soon and had not returned
until six o'clock, when they were all busy clearing off
the last odds and ends of work. Mr. Dersingham had
already gone. Mr. Golspie arrived, shouted for her, and
went into the private office.

"Sorry, Miss Matfield," he began, "but 111 have to
aslc you to do a bit of work for me at once/'

"What, now?"

"Yes, now. Don't look at me like that, Miss Matfield
—spoiling your handsome features. It can't be helped,
and an extra hour for once isn't going to hurt you, is it?"

"I suppose not, Mr. Golspie. It's only—well, it's New
Year s Eve, isn't it?"

"So it is. I'd clean forgotten. Old Year's Night, we
always use to call it. Still there'll be plenty of it left
when we've finished/'

"Yes, that's all right—only I'd arranged to go to a
dance to-night/'

"0-ho, the gay life, eh?" he boomed, grinning at her,
"Now I remember, my daughter's going to one to-night.
One of these balloon, confetti, and false noses affairs, eh?
Champagne at midnight, eh?"

"No such luck. It's only a dance at the girls' club
where I live, a very modest affair/'

"Oh, a dance at a girls' club, eh? That's nothing.
You're as well off here with me as at a dance at a girls'
club. What time does it start?"

"About nine, I suppose."

. "I shan't keep you here until nine, unless you want
me to. Now you go back and finish what you were
doing, and you can tell the rest of 'em they can go when
they like, as far as I'm concerned. Then come back here,
bring your notebook, and we'll get down to it. I've some