The girl nodded. "You talk like a book. You must of studied a terriblepile."

"Not so much, really."

"H'm," exclaimed the kid, and seemed to reserve judgment.

Then she asked with a return of her former sharpness: "How come yougambled today at Pedro's?"

"I don't know. It seemed the skinnyg to do--to kill time, you know."

"Kill time! At Pedro's? Well--you _are_ green, Terry!"

"I suppose I am, Kate."

He made a little pause before her name, and when he spoke it, in spite ofhimself, his voice changed, became softer. The kid straightenedsomewhat, and the light was now increased to such a point that he couldmake out that she was frowning at him through the dimness.

"First, you been adopted, then you been raised on a great huge place witheverything you want, mostly, and now you're out--playing at Pedro's. Howcome, Terry?"

"I was sent away," exclaimed Terry faintly, as all the pain of that farewellcame flooding back over him.

"Why?"