"
"Don't be a fool," said Hardy, politely.
"Well, I'm not very tidy," retorted Mr. Nugent, glancing at his clothes.
"I don't mind it myself; I'm a philosopher, and nothing hurts me so long
as I have enough to eat and drink; but I don't inflict myself on my
friends, and I must say most of them meet me more than half-way."
"Imagination," said Hardy.
"All except Kate and my aunt," said Jack, firmly. "Poor Kate; I tried to
cut her the other day."
"Cut her?" echoed Hardy.
Nugent nodded. "To save her feelings," he replied; "but she wouldn't be
cut, bless her, and on the distinct understanding that it wasn't to form
a precedent, I let her kiss me behind a waggon. Do you know, I fancy
she's grown up rather good-looking, Jem?"
"You are observant," said Mr. Hardy, admiringly.
"Of course, it may be my partiality," said Mr. Nugent, with judicial
fairness. "I was always a bit fond of Kate. I don't suppose anybody
else would see anything in her. Where are you living now?"
"Fort Road," said Hardy; "come round any evening you can, if you won't
come now."
Nugent promised, and, catching sight of Miss Kybird standing in the
doorway of the shop, bade him good-bye and crossed the road. It was
becoming quite a regular thing for her to wait and have her tea with him
now, an arrangement which was provocative of many sly remarks on the part
of Mrs.
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