Nell of Shorne Mills

No; there should be no scene. She would give him both her hands, would

say "good-by" quite calmly, and would then take her broken heart to the

solitude of her own room, and try to begin to repair it.

Dick shouted for his breakfast, and she went downstairs. He was busy

reading a letter, and his face was full of eagerness, his eyes sparkling

with excitement.

"I say, Nell, what a good chap Drake is!" he exclaimed. "He never said a

word to me about it; but he's been worrying Bardsley & Bardsley for

weeks past, and they've written to say that they think they can take me

on. Just think of it! Bardsley & Bardsley! The biggest firm in the

engineering line! Drake must have a great deal of influence; and I don't

know how on earth he managed it. I didn't know he knew any one connected

with the profession. It's a most splendid chance, you know!"

Nell went round beside him, and laid her hand upon his shoulder.

"I am very glad, Dick," she said.

Something in her voice must have struck him, for he looked up at her

quickly, and with surprise.

"Why, what's the matter, Nell?" he asked.

"Nothing," she said. "I have a headache."

"Just so. 'After the opera is over,' you know. That's the penalty one

pays for one's first dance. And you were queer last night, too, weren't

you? Why didn't you lie in bed?"

"Never mind me," said Nell. "Tell me about this letter. When are you

going, Dick?"

A fresh pang smote her. Was she going to lose the boy as well?

"Oh, they don't say," he replied. "They're going to let me know. They

may send me abroad; you can't tell. What a good chap Drake is, and what

a lot we owe him? Upon my word, Nell, you're a lucky girl to have got

hold of such a fellow for your young man."

Nell turned away with a sickening pain about her heart. No; she would

not tell the boy at this moment. She wouldn't spoil his happiness with

the wet blanket of her own misery. She must even, when she came to tell

him, make light of the broken engagement, take the blame upon herself,

and prevent any rupture of the friendship between Drake and Dick.

He was almost too excited to eat any breakfast; certainly too excited to

notice Nell's untouched cup and plate.

"I must see Drake about this at once," he said. "I think I'll go down

and meet him. He's sure to be coming up here, isn't he?" he added, with

a bantering smile; and Nell actually tried to smile back at him.