d all they wanted was a roof over
their heads at night.

And in truth he was fond of Pennyloaf. The poor little slave worshipped
him so sincerely; she repaid his affectionate words with such fervent
gratitude; and there was no denying that she had rather a pretty face,
which had attracted him from the first. But above all, this preference
accorded to so humble a rival had set Clem Peckover beside herself. It
was all very well for Clem to make pretence of having transferred her
affections to Jack Bartley. Why, Suke Jollop (ostensibly Clem's bosom
friend, but treacherous at times because she had herself given an eye
to Jack)--Suke Jollop reported that Clem would have killed Pennyloaf
had she dared. Pennyloaf had been going about in fear for her life
since that attack upon her in Myddelton Passage. 'I dursn't marry you,
Bob! I dursn't!' she kept saying, when the proposal was first made. But
Bob laughed with contemptuous defiance. He carried his point, and now
he was going to spend his wedding-day at the Crystal Palace--choosing
that resort because he knew Clem would be there, and Jack Bartley, and
Suke Jollop, and many another acquaintance, before whom he was resolved
to make display of magnanimity.

Pennyloaf shone in most unwonted apparel. Everything was new except her
boots--it had been decided that these only needed soleing. Her
broad-brimmed hat of yellow straw was graced with the reddest feather
purchasable in the City Road; she had a dolman of most fashionable cut,
blue, lustrous; blue likewise was her dress, hung about with bows and
streamers. And the gleaming ring on the scrubby small finger! On that
hand most assuredly Pennyloaf would wear no glove. How proud she was of
her ring! How she turned it round and round when nobody was looking!
Gold, Pennyloaf, real gold! The pawnbroker would lend her
seven-and-sixpence on it, any time.

At Holborn Viaduct there was a perpetual rush of people for the trains
to the 'Paliss.' As soon as a train was full, off it went, and another
long string of empty carriages drew up in its place. No distinction
between 'classes' to-day; get in where you like, where you can.
Positively, Pennyloaf found herself seated in a first-class carriage;
she would have been awe-struck, but that Bob flung himself back on the
cushions with such an easy air, and nodded laughingly at her. Among
their companions was a youth with a concertina; as soon as the train
moved he burst into melody. It was the