"Painful subject," says I, shakin' my head warnin'.

But Helma ain't the kind to gloss things over. She speaks right out. "If
you please, Miss," says she, "I've no mother, and Daddums has been taken
up--the bobbies, you know. And I fancy the money he left for my board
must have been all used; for I heard the landlady say I'd have to go to
a home. So before daylight this morning I slipped out the front door.
I'm not going back, either. I--I'm looking for work."

"For work!" says Vee, starin' first at me and then at Helma. "You absurd
little thing! Why, how old are you?"

"I was twelve last month, Miss," says Helma, bobbin' polite.

"And you've been out since daylight?" demands Vee. "Where did you have
breakfast and luncheon?"

"I--I didn't have them at all, Miss," admits Helma.

Vee presses her lips together sudden and then shoots a knowin' look at
me. "There!" says she. "That reminds me. I haven't had tea, either.
Well, Torchy?"

"My blow," says I. "I was just goin' to mention it. There's a joint
somewhere near, ain't there?"

"Top floor," says Vee. "Come, Helma, you'll go with us, won't you?"

And you should have seen the admirin' look Vee got back in exchange for
the smile she gives Helma! The look never fades, either, all the while
Helma is puttin' away a pot of chocolate, a club sandwich, and an order
of toasted muffins and marmalade. She just lets them big eyes of hers
travel up and down, from Vee's smooth-fittin' gloves to the little wisp
of straw-colored hair that curls up over the side of her fur hat. You
couldn't blame Helma. I took a peek now and then myself.

Meanwhile we has a good chance to inspect this waif that's been sort of
wished on us. Such a sharp, peaked little face she has, and such bright,
active eyes, that it gives her a wide-awake, live-wire look, like a fox
terrier. Then the freckles--just spattered with 'em, clear across the
bridge of her nose and up to where the carroty hair begins. Like rust
specks on a knife blade, they were.

"You didn't get all those livin' in London, did you?" says I.

"Oh, no, Sir," says she. "Egypt mostly, and then down in Devon. You see,
Sir Alfred used to let Daddums take me along. Head butler, you know,
Daddums was--until the war. Then Sir Alfred went off with his regiment,
and Haldeane House was shut up, like so many others. Daddums was too old
to enlist, and besides there was no one to leave me with. So he had to
try for a place over here. I--I wish