hange her mind by the sight of the twins' shabby frocks and the memory
of all she could have bought them with the Beggar Man's money.

Then she went into the kitchen to her mother and held out her trembling
bare left hand.

"I've sent it back," she said in a whisper. "And the money--I never want
to see him any more."

Mrs. Ledley stared at her helplessly, then something in the girl's face,
its immature look and innocent eyes, swept the anger and bitterness
from her heart.

She took Faith on to her lap as if she had still been a child, and the
two kissed and cried together.

Mrs. Ledley did not believe Faith would ever see the Beggar Man again.
She thought she knew only too well the type of man he was. She sobbed
out that she was only too thankful to have her daughter safely with her.

"I didn't mean to be hard and cruel," she said over and over again. "It
would have broken my heart if he had taken you away from me."

"He wanted me to go and I wouldn't," Faith said. She tried to believe
that she was quite happy cuddled into her mother's arms, but she knew
that she was not. There was something old and sad in her heart which
would never leave her again she knew. She listened apathetically while
Mrs. Ledley spoke of her husband.

"You haven't forgotten him, Faith? You haven't so soon forgotten your
father? He was so good to you. He loved you all so much. This man ruined
him and caused his death. I know that my little girl could not love such
a man."

"I wanted you to be rich," Faith whispered brokenly. "I wanted
everything for you and the twins."

She sat up with sudden energy, pushing the dark hair from her face. "I
hope I never see him again!" she said fiercely. "I hope he never comes
home any more!..."

CHAPTER VI

Faith went back to the factory the next day and asked to be taken on
again. Miss Dell would like to have refused, but she met Peg's fierce
eyes across the room and changed her mind, and Faith was reinstated.

There was not much time for talking that morning. There was a rush of
work on hand and hardly a moment to spare, but during the dinner hour
Peg asked a storm of questions.

"What has happened? He's not coming back, of course! What a brute!
Didn't I always say he was a brute?"

Faith shivered.

There were moments when she still clung passionately to the hope that
there was some mistake--that when he came back he would be able to
explain and put matters right. And there were oth