"Our reporter did not ask why, Sophy's tone convincing him that the observation was intended to express a state of infinite content, and had no reference whatever to Mrs. Middlemore.
"'Now, Sophy,' he said, 'are you ready to tell me all you know?'
"'I'll tell yer a lot,' said Sophy, and if you ain't sapparized--well, there!'
"Another colloquialism, which our reporter perfectly understood.
"'What will your aunt say?' he asked--they had left the shop, and were walking side by side--'to your coming home late?'
"'Wot she likes,' replied Sophy, with a disdainful disregard of consequences. 'If she don't like it she may lump it. Don't frighten yerself; she's used to it by this time. Where are you going to take me?'
"Our reporter had settled this in his mind. 'To my rooms, where we can talk without interruption.'
"'Oh, but I say,' exclaimed Sophy, 'won't they stare!'
"'There will be no one to do that, Sophy, and you will be quite safe.'
"Sophy nodded, and kept step with him as well as she could. It was not easy, by reason of her boots being odd, and not only too large for her feet, but in a woful state of dilapidation. In one of the narrow streets through which they passed, a second-hand clothing shop was open, in the window of which were displayed some half-dozen pairs of children's boots. A good idea occurred to him.