t down in
the armchair by the fire, which was burning brightly, and the kettle
was singing on the hob, for she had banked up the fire with cinders and
small coal before she went out.

The baby was still asleep in the cradle, but his slumbers had evidently
not been of the most restful kind, for he had kicked all the bedclothes
off him and was lying all uncovered. Ruth obeyed passively when Slyme
told her to sit down, and, lying back languidly in the armchair, she
watched him through half-closed eyes and with a slight flush on her
face as he deftly covered the sleeping child with the bedclothes and
settled him more comfortably in the cot.

Slyme now turned his attention to the fire, and as he placed the kettle
upon it he remarked: 'As soon as the water boils I'll make you some
strong tea.'

During their walk home she had acquainted Slyme with the cause of her
being in the condition in which he found her in the street, and as she
reclined in the armchair, drowsily watching him, she wondered what
would have happened to her if he had not passed by when he did.

'Are you feeling better?' he asked, looking down at her.

'Yes, thanks. I feel quite well now; but I'm afraid I've given you a
lot of trouble.'

'No, you haven't. Nothing I can do for you is a trouble to me. But
don't you think you'd better take your jacket off? Here, let me help
you.'

It took a very long time to get this jacket off, because whilst he was
helping her, Slyme kissed her repeatedly and passionately as she lay
limp and unresisting in his arms.

Chapter 25

The Oblong

During the following week the work at 'The Cave' progressed rapidly
towards completion, although, the hours of daylight being so few, the
men worked only from 8 A.M. till 4 P.M. and they had their breakfasts
before they came. This made 40 hours a week, so that those who were
paid sevenpence an hour earned L1.3.4. Those who got
sixpence-halfpenny drew L1.1.8. Those whose wages were fivepence an
hour were paid the princely sum of 16/8d. for their week's hard labour,
and those whose rate was fourpence-halfpenny 'picked up' 15/-.

And yet there are people who have the insolence to say that Drink is
the cause of poverty.

And many of the persons who say this, spend more money than that on
drink themselves--every day of their useless lives.

By Tuesday night all the inside was finished with the exception of the
kitchen and scullery. The painting of the kitchen had