Cinder Path Tales

CINDER-PATH TALES his promise, and my worry about food and shelter wasover for a full long month. I now spent a number ofdays trying still to find something to do which I could fairly handle, going into thecity eachday, but en­ tirely withoutresult. I was at no expense, however, for I walked to and from town, and tooka cold lunch with me. This last was attended to by Hacking's niece, a tall, fair-haired girl, a trifle awkward yet, forshe was only sixteen,but pretty, and promising tobe a real beauty later. She wasvery kind and gracious, as a good girl is sure to be toward one in trouble. Indeed, Jennie'ssympathy soonbecame lik­ ing, and might perhaps have grown to some­ thing more had it received any encourage­ ment. I do not mean by this that I was irresistible orthat she wasat all unmaidenly, for a more modest girlI never saw. But she was very lonely, her uncle allowing her not the least word with any of his customers. I was the first young fellow she had ever known, and sixteen is a romantic age. Never was I beast enough to have gone further thana mild flirtation with a girl like Jennie, andnow I was bound in honor not to abuse theconfidence of a friend, the only one I had. There were some old Lancashire memories, also, which would not down.