"Miss Winslow," he said, "I hope you won't mind the rudeness of this—ah, ragamuffin."
"Oh, I don't," said the young lady, merrily; "he amuses me."
"So he does me; ha, ha! very good joke," said the dandy, laughing too, but not very merrily. "I hope you are quite well to-day."
"Thank you, quite so. But don't let me detain you, if you have an engagement upstairs."
"I assure you," protested the young man, hurriedly, "that I have no intention of going up at all."
"Then I must say good-morning, at any rate, as I am out shopping;" and the young lady passed on.
"I've a great mind to flog you," said the dandy, frowning at Sam. "I would if you wasn't so dirty. I wouldn't like to soil my hands by taking hold of you."
"That's lucky for you," said Sam, coolly.
The answer was a withering frown, but Sam was tough, and not easily withered.
"Aint he stuck up, though?" thought he, as the young man left him. "He don't seem to like me much."