t your own gel cleared long ere this."

"I aint his own girl, and he knows it," said Alison, speaking pertly
because her heart was so sick.

Jim hardly noticed her sharp words--he was feeling very depressed
himself--he sank into the chair Grannie had offered him, placed his big
elbows on his knees, pushed his huge hands through his thick hair, and
scratched his head in perplexity.

"It's an awful mystery, that it is," he said; "there aint a person in
the shop as don't fret a bit for Ally--she was so bright and
genteel-looking; and no one thinks she's done it. If only, Alison, you
hadn't gone away so sharp, the whole thing would have blown over by
now."

"Coming of the blood----" began Grannie; but Alison knew the conclusion
of that sentence, and interrupted her.

"Bygones is bygones," she said, "and we have got to face the future.
I'll look out for another post to-day; I'll begin to study the papers,
and see what can be done. It aint to be supposed that this will crush
me out and out, and me so young and strong."

"But you'll have to get a character," said Jim, whose brow had not
relaxed from the deep frown which it wore.

Alison gave her head another toss.

"I must do my best," she said. She evidently did not intend to pursue
the subject further with her lover.

Jim was not at all an unobservant man. He had seen many signs which
distressed him, both in Grannie's face and Alison's; he knew also that
Harry had been taken from school quite a year too soon; he knew well
that Alison's bread winnings were necessary for the family, and that it
was impossible to expect an old body like Grannie to feed all those
hungry mouths much longer.

"Look here," he said, rising suddenly to his feet, "I have got
something to say."

"Oh, dear, dear, why will you waste our time?" said Alison.

"It aint waste, and you have got to listen--please, Mrs. Reed, don't go
out of the room; I want you to hear it too. Now, you look at me,
Alison Reed. I am big, aint I, and I'm strong, and I earn good wages,
right good--for a man as isn't twenty-five yet. I'm getting close on
two pounds a week now, and you can see for yourselves that that's a
good pile."

"Bless us!" said Grannie, "it's a powerful heap of money."

"Well, I'm getting that," said Jim, with a sort of righteous pride on
his face, "and no one who knows what's what could complain of the same.
Now, this is what I'm thinking. I am all alone in the world; I haven't
ki