s continued all the way to the dressing-room, which the
apprentices had not yet reached. Then, once inside, Ma pushed the bolt and
made a rush at Lily. And Lily raised her elbow in vain: accompanied by a
furious series of grunts--"Ugh! Ugh! Ugh!"--Ma's diligent fist "signed a
contract on her back":

"And don't you dare to cry out, or I'll give it you twice as hard!"

Lily, bruised all over, felt inclined to scratch her mother, like a
wildcat; but the apprentices were coming. So she cooled her head in a
basin of cold water and dressed with all speed, assisted by Ma, who
perhaps regretted having been so hasty; but you had to be, with devils
like that! And Ma's anger returned when, on reaching the stage again, she
was herself, in accordance with Jimmy's orders, handed a bouquet intended
for Miss Lily. What, another! Lily, following her down the stairs with the
New Zealanders, saw Ma take the bouquet and toss it through the open
door.

"Come along," said Ma. "Give me your arm, Lily."

And the New Zealanders walked away from the brightly lit-up music-hall,
plunged through the drifting crowd, crossed the eddy of cabs, motors,
'buses and, on the pavements, through the windows, had visions of elegant
couples at sumptuous tables. Then they all went through the dark streets;
and Lily, escorted by Pa and Ma, followed the herd of girls. Her face was
hard and, from an angry brow, she shot glances askance at flight.

CHAPTER VI

Now Trampy--even if he had to marry her for it, by Jove!--had set his mind
on having Lily, at any cost; and that not only because of her prettiness,
but also that he might play Clifton a damned good trick and teach him that
he must smart for treating a gentleman as he had treated him in Mexico. It
would be paying him out with interest to take his Lily from him. Besides,
think of the credit it would give Trampy in the profession to have for his
wife the prettiest, the cleverest girl on the boards, each of whose shows,
when she performed alone, would be worth at least three pounds, as much as
a whole troupe! He suspected in her the ripe fruit that was bound to drop;
and he shook the tree to hasten the fall. He considered his reputation at
stake: he, the man with the thirty-six girls, as he was called at the
music-hall. He got caught in his own toils and wanted Lily madly, out of
revenge and pride ... and jealousy too, for he suspected that Jimmy was
courting her; and the idea that he had a rival in