y old man ter go.'

She called her husband, and sent him off. She was a stout, middle-aged
woman, rough-visaged and strong-armed. Her name was Mrs. Hodges.

'It's lucky you came ter me,' she said, when she had settled down. 'I
go aht nursin', yer know, so I know all abaht it.'

'Well, you surprise me,' said Mrs. Kemp. 'I didn't know as Liza was
thet way. She never told me nothin' abaht it.'

'D'yer know 'oo it is 'as done it?'

'Now you ask me somethin' I don't know,' replied Mrs. Kemp. 'But now I
come ter think of it, it must be thet there Tom. 'E's been keepin'
company with Liza. 'E's a single man, so they'll be able ter get
married--thet's somethin'.'

'It ain't Tom,' feebly said Liza.

'Not 'im; 'oo is it, then?'

Liza did not answer.

'Eh?' repeated the mother, ''oo is it?'

Liza lay still without speaking.

'Never mind, Mrs. Kemp,' said Mrs. Hodges, 'don't worry 'er now; you'll
be able ter find aht all abaht it when she gits better.'

For a while the two women sat still, waiting the doctor's coming, and
Liza lay gazing vacantly at the wall, panting for breath. Sometimes
Jim crossed her mind, and she opened her mouth to call for him, but in
her despair she restrained herself.

The doctor came.

'D'you think she's bad, doctor?' asked Mrs. Hodges.

'I'm afraid she is rather,' he answered. 'I'll come in again this
evening.'

'Oh, doctor,' said Mrs. Kemp, as he was going, 'could yer give me
somethin' for my rheumatics? I'm a martyr to rheumatism, an' these
cold days I 'ardly knows wot ter do with myself. An', doctor, could
you let me 'ave some beef-tea? My 'usbind's dead, an' of course I
can't do no work with my daughter ill like this, an' we're very
short--.'

The day passed, and in the evening Mrs. Hodges, who had been attending
to her own domestic duties, came downstairs again. Mrs. Kemp was on the
bed sleeping.

'I was just 'avin' a little nap,' she said to Mrs. Hodges, on waking.

''Ow is the girl?' asked that lady.

'Oh,' answered Mrs. Kemp, 'my rheumatics 'as been thet bad I really
'aven't known wot ter do with myself, an' now Liza can't rub me I'm
worse than ever. It is unfortunate thet she should get ill just now
when I want so much attendin' ter myself, but there, it's just my
luck!'

Mrs. Hodges went over and looked at Liza; she was lying just as when
she left in the morning, her cheeks flushed, her mouth open for
breath, and tiny beads of sweat stood on her forehead.

''Ow are