was terminated by the entrance of
Carry, with her good-looking face flushed and hard set, as, rolling
down her sleeve and buttoning it aggressively as the finishing touch
to her toilet after completing her afternoon's work, she confronted
Mrs Bray, on battle bent.

"Well, Mrs Bray, I'd like to have given my opinion of you to your teeth
long ago, but I held my tongue as it wasn't my house, and some people have
different tastes and have folk around that I'd be a long time having
anything to do with. Now, I think things do concern me, and I'm going to
have my say; I couldn't have it sooner because I'm a _thing_ earning my
living and had to finish my work. I haven't got a home of my own, and like
some people, if I had, I'd be in it teaching my dirty rude brats not to be
thieves. I wouldn't for everlasting be at other people's places
scandalising people twice as good as myself. I didn't think Mrs Clay was
the sort of person to go tittle-tattling--she can please herself; but it
doesn't concern you if I do put on airs. I want to know what you mean by
that I should be kept in my place. I'll swear I know how to carry my day as
well as you do, and to keep in my place too well to be going round meddling
with other people's business."

"I didn't say nothing but was correct, an' what right have you to come
bullying me? It's like your impudence--you a hussy out to work for
your living at a few shillings a-week, and calling yourself a _lady_
help when you're a servant, that's what you are; to bully _me_, a
woman with a good home, and the mother of a family."

Carry snorted contemptuously.

"That old 'mother of a family' racket needn't be brought forward. It
doesn't hold as much water as it used to. Women are thought just as
much of now who are good useful workers in the world, and not tied up
to some man and the mother of a few weedy kids that aren't any credit
to king or country."

"Mercy!" exclaimed grandma. "What am I to?"

"Let 'em fight it out," I laconically advised in an aside, and she
seemed disposed to take my advice.

"You dare," blustered Mrs Bray. "And what else have you got to say?"

"I want an explanation of the aspersion on my character when you said
I had taken up with Larry Witcom. I'm not going to stand anything on
my character in that line if I _am_ earning my living, and you _are_
the mother of one or fourteen families, all as great a credit to you
as the one Jack represents. And as for me earning my livin