Page:The principal girl (IA principalgirl00snai).pdf/219

 "But you are bound to be, Mrs. Shel, aren't you?" said Mr. Wilbraham with great Tact.

"Why am I bound to be?" inquired the Uncrowned Queen, whose good gray eye had begun to play the dickens with the second Olympian.

"Oh, you are, you know. Isn't she, Toddles?"

Toddles was strongly of opinion that she was.

"Well, of course, if you both really think that—"

But in the secret recesses of his nature, Toddles was even more strongly of opinion that if she persisted in looking at him in that way he would be bound to kiss her.

"Are you and Mr. Wilbraham any good at snooker? Yes, I can see it in your eyes. Well, Phil-ipp and Johnny and I will play the three of you for a sovereign."

"Done with you, Mrs. Shel," said the Olympians with promptitude.

And then Mrs. Shelmerdine looked very demurely at Horace Allwright, and imposed the condition that the stakes should be deposited with the marker, as her success in life was entirely due to the fact that she never trusted on principle a man who came from Leeds.

"But I come from Leeds myself," said Toddles, who, of course, was none other than the popular Yorkshire cricketer when he had time to spare for the game.

"Why not?"