matter?" she cried.

"She's lost another son," said Mr. Green, with a ferocious sneer--"a
flash, bullying, ugly chap of the name o' Letts."

"Halloa!" said Mr. Letts, starting.

"A chap she picked up out of the street, and tried to pass off on me as
her son," continued Mr. Green, raising his voice. "She ain't heard the
end of it yet, I can tell you."

Mr. Letts fidgeted. "You leave her alone," he said, mildly. "It's true
I'm not her son, but it don't matter, because I've been to see a lawyer
about her, and he told me that this house and half the furniture belongs
by law to Betty. It's got nothing to do with you."

"Indeed!" said Mr. Green. "Now you take yourself off before I put the
police on to you. Take your face off these premises."

Mr. Letts, scratching his head, looked vaguely round the room.

"Go on!" vociferated Mr. Green. "Or will you have the police to put you
out?"

Mr. Letts cleared his throat and moved towards the door. "You stick up
for your rights, my girl," he said, turning to Betty. "If he don't treat
your mother well, give him back his kitchen chair and his three
stair-rods and pack him off."

"Henry," said Mr. Green, with dangerous calm, "go and fetch a policeman."

"I'm going," said Mr. Letts, hastily. "Good-by, Betty; good-by, mother.
I sha'n't be long. I'm only going as far as the post-office. And that
reminds me. I've been talking so much that I quite forget to tell you
that Betty and me were married yesterday morning."

He nodded pleasantly at the stupefied Mr. Green, and, turning to Mr.
Widden, gave him a friendly dig in the ribs with his finger.

"What's mine is Betty's," he said, in a clear voice, "and what's Betty's
is MINE! D'ye understand, step-father?"

He stepped over to Mrs. Green, and putting a strong arm around her raised
her to her feet. "And what's mine is mother's," he concluded, and,
helping her across the room, placed her in the best arm-chair.

[Illustration: "What's mine is mother's."]

PRIZE MONEY

The old man stood by the window, gazing at the frozen fields beyond. The
sign of the Cauliflower was stiff with snow, and the breath of a pair of
waiting horses in a wagon beneath ascended in clouds of steam.

[Illustration: "The sign of the Cauliflower was stiff with snow."]

"Amusements" he said slowly, as he came back with a shiver and, resuming
his seat by the tap-room fire, looked at the wayfarer who had been idly
questioning him. "C