KIPPS
lib'ries, and glad to be told what to. See 'ow we was—up at that lib'ry.". . .
He paused. "You see, Ann———"
"Well, I read 'n 'dvertisement the other day. I been asking Mr. Bean. It said—five 'undred pounds."
"What did?"
"Branches," said Kipps.
Ann failed to understand. "It's a sort of thing that gets up bookshops all over the country," said Kipps. "I didn't tell you, but I arst about it a bit. On'y I dropped it again. Before this smash, I mean. I'd thought I'd like to keep a shop for a lark, on'y then I thought it silly. Besides it 'ud 'ave been beneath me."
He blushed vividly. "It was a sort of projek of mine, Ann.
"On'y it wouldn't 'ave done," he added.
It was a tortuous journey when the Kippses set out to explain anything to each other. But through a maze of fragmentary elucidations and questions, their minds did presently begin to approximate to a picture of a compact, bright little shop, as a framework for themselves.
"I thought of it one day when I was in Folkestone. I thought of it one day when I was looking in at a window. I see a chap dressin' a window, and he was whistlin' reg'lar light-'arted. . . . I thought then I'd like to keep a bookshop, any'ow, jest for something to do. And when people weren't about, then you could sit and read the books. See? It wouldn't be 'arf bad.". . .
They mused, each with elbows on table and
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