s of things because I'm clever-- I can sew, and ... you know,
all sorts of things."

Gaga glowed at her words.

"I know," he eagerly agreed. "That's why you're so wonderful. Most girls
can only do one thing. They can't even do that very well."

"That's true. Takes them a week to do it; and then somebody has to do it
over again for them. They haven't got any brains. They got no _sense_.
They don't _think_." Sally was impetuous.

"They've got no brains at all," said Gaga. "They're like vegetables."
Both laughed, in great spirits and familiarity. "Well, Sally.... My
mother's.... She's a wonderful woman, too. She's been marvellous.
Marvellous! She must have been like you...."

Sally shrugged.

"Bigger than me," she murmured, brooding upon an unwelcome comparison.

"No. Not bigger. She's nearly three times as old as you. My father died,
you see.... I was a child. She had to make a living. _Had_ to."

"So have I got to," whispered Sally. "I got no father; and mother's in
her second childhood."

Gaga stopped. He looked at her. A singular expression crossed his face.

"Now, you have to," he said. "Er, I mean.... Well, ... you won't
always."

"Mean, I'll marry?" demanded Sally, sharply. "Give it all up to cook the
dinner and wash the front step?" She shrugged again.

Gaga reddened slightly.

"I.... I didn't think you'd do that," he said, hesitatingly. "I only
meant.... What I wanted to say ... mother's not well. She's ill. She's
really ill. She'll have to take a holiday. I wonder...." His hesitation
was more prolonged than usual. He became as it were lost in a kind of
doubtful reverie. Sally could not tell whether he was thinking or
whether the wheels of his mind had altogether ceased to revolve. His
mouth gaped a little. At last he concluded: "I wonder if I could ... if
I could borrow you from Miss Summers. If she'd mind. If she'd let you
go."

There was a silence, while both thought of this possibility.

"Look here," cried Sally, confidently. "Like this evening, Miss Summers
left me there--all alone. I mean to say, she didn't _mind_. She wouldn't
leave any of the other girls like that; but she left me. She knew it was
all right. Well, I wouldn't mind stopping in the evenings and helping
you. I'd like to. I'm quick. I could get through a lot of work."

"Oh, but it wouldn't be fair," he objected.

"Why not? I'd love it. See, I'd get overtime."

Sally was really prompting Gaga in this last sentence. He frown