Page:Jepson--Pollyooly.djvu/252

 In her heart of hearts she was wishing that he might make a mess of it. She would lose the twenty pounds indeed; but she would not be parted from the Lump.

Then at a quarter past six a taxicab came fast along Paper Buildings; and in it she saw the Honorable John Ruffin and a little girl.

"Here they are, ma'am," she said in a tone of resignation.

The duchess rushed to the window, saw the Honorable John Ruffin and Lady Marion descend from the taxicab, and ran half-way down the stairs to meet them.

Then Pollyooly's double came into the sitting-room, and the two children stared at each other seriously, with the keenest curiosity.

At once the Honorable John Ruffin set them side by side to assure himself of the likeness.

"By Jove, it's wonderful!" he cried. "Wonderful!"

The likeness was wonderful. By some curious freak of nature, Marion was Pollyooly's double. She was the same length, breadth, and thickness; she carried herself in the same fashion; she had