"Who said I did?"

"Verneede; when he called here that day."

"He never called here."

"Verneede never called here?"

"Never in his life."

"He said he did, and he saw you, and told you I was going to Australia, and you didn't care."

"Oh, what a horrid, wicked story! He never came here."

"He must have been dreaming then," said Leavesley, who began to see how matters stood as regards the veracity of Verneede. "No matter, I don't care now. Hold me tighter, Fanny."

* * * * *

Till some one discovers the art of printing kisses, asterisks must serve.