gs in
this weather much longer, and they won't stand mending again. You
remember the old man said they were not worth it when you had that
patch put on a few weeks ago.'

'Yes. I was thinking of buying a new pair tomorrow. My socks was wet
through tonight. If it's raining some morning when I'm going out and I
have to work all day with wet feet I shall be laid up.'

'At that second-hand shop down in High Street I saw when I was out this
afternoon a very good pair just your size, for two shillings.'

Easton did not reply at once. He did not much fancy wearing the
cast-off boots of some stranger, who for all he knew might have
suffered from some disease, but then remembering that his old ones were
literally falling off his feet he realized that he had practically no
choice.

'If you're quite sure they'll fit you'd better get them. It's better
to do that than for me to catch cold and be laid up for God knows how
long.'

So the two shillings were added to the list.

'Is there anything else?'

'How much does it all come to now?' asked Ruth.

Easton added it all up. When he had finished he remained staring at
the figures in consternation for a long time without speaking.

'Jesus Christ!' he ejaculated at last.

'What's it come to?' asked Ruth.

'Forty-four and tenpence.'

'I knew we wouldn't have enough,' said Ruth, wearily. 'Now if you
think I manage so badly, p'raps you can tell me which of these things
we ought to leave out.'

'We'd be all right if it wasn't for the debts,' said Easton, doggedly.

'When you're not working, we must either get into debt or starve.'

Easton made no answer.

'What'll we do about the rates?' asked Ruth.

'I'm sure I don't know: there's nothing left to pawn except my black
coat and vest. You might get something on that.'

'It'll have to be paid somehow,' said Ruth, 'or you'll be taken off to
jail for a month, the same as Mrs Newman's husband was last winter.'

'Well, you'd better take the coat and vest and see what you can get on
'em tomorrow.'

'Yes,' said Ruth; 'and there's that brown silk dress of mine--you know,
the one I wore when we was married--I might get something on that,
because we won't get enough on the coat and vest. I don't like parting
with the dress, although I never wear it; but we'll be sure to be able
to get it out again, won't we?'

'Of course,' said Easton.

They remained silent for some time, Easton staring at the list of debts
and th