per, drawing up its knees
as if in pain.

'He seems to have something wrong with him,' said Easton.

'I think it's his teeth,' replied the mother. 'He's been very restless
all day and he was awake nearly all last night.'

'P'r'aps he's hungry.'

'No, it can't be that. He had the best part of an egg this morning and
I've nursed him several times today. And then at dinner-time he had a
whole saucer full of fried potatoes with little bits of bacon in it.'

Again the infant whimpered and twisted in its sleep, its lips drawn
back showing the gums: its knees pressed closely to its body, the
little fists clenched, and face flushed. Then after a few seconds it
became placid: the mouth resumed its usual shape; the limbs relaxed and
the child slumbered peacefully.

'Don't you think he's getting thin?' asked Easton. 'It may be fancy,
but he don't seem to me to be as big now as he was three months ago.'

'No, he's not quite so fat,' admitted Ruth. 'It's his teeth what's
wearing him out; he don't hardly get no rest at all with them.'

They continued looking at him a little longer. Ruth thought he was a
very beautiful child: he would be eight months old on Sunday. They
were sorry they could do nothing to ease his pain, but consoled
themselves with the reflection that he would be all right once those
teeth were through.

'Well, let's have some tea,' said Easton at last.

Whilst he removed his wet boots and socks and placed them in front of
the fire to dry and put on dry socks and a pair of slippers in their
stead, Ruth half filled a tin basin with hot water from the boiler and
gave it to him, and he then went to the scullery, added some cold water
and began to wash the paint off his hands. This done he returned to
the kitchen and sat down at the table.

'I couldn't think what to give you to eat tonight,' said Ruth as she
poured out the tea. 'I hadn't got no money left and there wasn't
nothing in the house except bread and butter and that piece of cheese,
so I cut some bread and butter and put some thin slices of cheese on it
and toasted it on a place in front of the fire. I hope you'll like it:
it was the best I could do.'

'That's all right: it smells very nice anyway, and I'm very hungry.'

As they were taking their tea Easton told his wife about Linden's
affair and his apprehensions as to what might befall himself. They
were both very indignant, and sorry for poor old Linden, but their
sympathy for him w