Nobody else in the world would take the trouble, and I can make it worth her while.

She's a child of the gutter holding brevet rank as a barmaid; so she shall have everything she wants if she'll only come and talk and look after me.' He rubbed his newly shorn chin and began to perplex himself with the thought of her not coming.

'I suppose I did look rather a sweep,' he went on.

'I had no reason to look otherwise.

I knew things dropped on my clothes, but it didn't matter.