He's the man who brought that crowd of
women round the factory I told you about--stuck-up crew! He's the man
who cut down our overtime money. Ask any of the girls. Ask old Dell, if
you don't believe me. He may call himself Forrester, or Jones, or any
other old name, for all I care, but he's Scammel right enough, and he's
as mean as he is rich," she added violently.

"I don't believe it," said Faith. She was surprised at her own boldness.
As a rule, she never dared to contradict Peg, but her heart sprang to
the defence of this man whom she had so recently married. He was good
and generous. She had had ample proof of it.

Peg began to walk on quickly. There was a sullen look in her handsome
eyes. Faith had almost to run to keep pace with her.

"Don't walk so fast," she broke out at last breathlessly. "What's the
hurry when I haven't seen you for so long?"

"I've been ill," was the uncompromising reply.

"I know, and I'm ever so sorry. I came up here particularly to see you,
Peg--it's unkind to talk to me like this."

Peg slackened her steps a little. She was very fond of Faith, but
because she considered her weak and unfit to take care of herself she
thought it as well to be angry with her sometimes.

"Oh, well," she said more graciously; "it's no use going for you, I
suppose. You're only a kid, after all." She smiled faintly. "What sort
of a man have you married? And does your mother know?"

Faith coloured a little. She answered nervously that her mother did not
know yet, but that she was going to tell her when she got home.

Peg said "Humph!" and added that she did not think Mrs. Ledley would be
particularly pleased.

"Are you ashamed of the man or what?" she demanded bluntly. "He can't be
much of a chap not to have wanted to see your mother."

Again Faith rushed eagerly to his defence.

"He did want to. It was my fault that she was not told. It was my
suggestion. I wanted to surprise her."

Peg laughed grimly.

"I should say she'll be surprised all right," she said.

"She'll be delighted," Faith maintained. "Why, we shall be ever so
rich!"

"Rich!" Peg stared at her companion suspiciously, and the younger girl
flushed.

"Mother won't have to work any more," she said proudly. "And we can send
the twins to a nice school." She paused. "And he's got a motor-car," she
added in an awed voice.

Peg burst into shrill laughter.

"Lord! It's a novelette come true," she said. "Hark at her! You'll be
telli