ttle woman. "I'll trust her with a shillin'. Lor', I hope she'll be
careful with it. Twelve pennies can do a mint ef they're spent
careful."

She went slowly to her cupboard, took her keys out of her pocket,
unlocked it with her left hand, and, taking her little purse from a
secret receptacle at the back of the cupboard, produced a shilling from
her hoard.

"There," she said, "for the Lord's sake don't drop it; put it safe in
your pocket. You might get the raisins for the puddin' and the sugar
and the flour out o' this. You choose from the bargain counter, and
use your eyes, and don't buy raisins what have got no fruit in 'em.
Sometimes at bargain counters they are all skin, and good for nothink;
but ef you are sharp you can sometimes pick up right good fruity fruit,
and that's the sort we want. Now, don't be long away. Yes, for sure,
we may as well have the stuff for the puddin' in the house."

Alison promised to be careful. She put on her neat black hat and
jacket and went out. She had scarcely gone a hundred yards before she
came straight up against Louisa Clay. Louisa looked very stylish in a
large mauve-colored felt hat, and a fur boa round her neck; her black
hair was much befrizzed and becurled. Alison shrank from the sight of
her, and was about to go quickly by when the other girl drew up
abruptly.

"Why, there you are," she said; "I was jest thinking of coming round to
see yer."

Alison stood still when she was addressed, but she did not make any
remark. Her intention was to go on as soon as ever Louisa had finished
speaking. Louisa's own intention was quite different.

"Well, I am glad," she continued. "I have a lot of things to say. Do
you know your place is filled up?"

"Yes," said Alison, flushing. "Jim told me."

"Jim!" repeated Louisa, with a note of scorn. "Don't you think you are
very free and easy with Mr. Hardy? And when did you see him?" she
added, a jealous light coming into her eyes.

"He was at our house this afternoon. I must say good-evening now,
Louisa. I am in a hurry; I am doing some errands for Grannie."

"Oh, I don't mind walking a bit o' the way with you. You are going
shopping, is it?"

"Well, yes; Christmas is near, you know."

Alison felt herself shrinking more and more from Louisa. She hated her
to walk by her side. It irritated her beyond words to hear her speak
of Jim. She dreaded more than she could tell Louisa finding out how
poor they were;