omnibus, this time
bound for Tottenham Court Road, and was, after some dreary jolting, set
down at her final destination--a dirty alley in the worst part of Seven
Dials. Entering it, she was hailed with a shout of derisive laughter
from some rough-looking men and women, who were standing grouped round a
low gin-shop at the corner.

"Here's Liz!" cried one. "Here's Liz and the bloomin' kid!"

"Now, old gel, fork out! How much 'ave you got, Liz? Treat us to a drop
all round!"

Liz waked past them steadily; the conspicuous curve of her upper lip
came into full play, and her eyes flashed disdainfully, but she said
nothing. Her silence exasperated a tangle-haired, cat-faced girl of
seventeen years, who, more than half drunk, sat on the ground, clasping
her knees with both arms and rocking herself lazily to and fro.

"Mother Mawks!" cried she, "Mother Mawks! You're wanted! Here's Liz come
back with your babby!"

As if her words had been a powerful incantation to summon forth an evil
spirit, a door in one of the miserable houses was thrown open, and a
stout woman, nearly naked to the waist, with a swollen, blotched, and
most hideous countenance, rushed out furiously, and darting at Liz,
shook her violently by the arm.

"Where's my shullin'?" she yelled, "where's my gin? Out with it! Out
with my shullin' an' fourpence! None of yer sneakin' ways with me; a
bargain's a bargain all the world over! Yer're making a fortin' with my
babby--yer know y' are; pays yer a good deal better than yer old trade!
Don't say it don't--yer know it do. Yer'll not find such a sickly kid
anywheres, an' it's the sickly kids wot pays an' moves the 'arts of
the kyind ladies an' good gentlemen"--this with an imitative whine that
excited the laughter and applause of her hearers. "Yer've got it cheap,
I kin tell yer, an' if yer don't pay up reg'lar, there's others that'll
take the chance, an' thankful too!"

She stopped for lack of breath, and Liz spoke quietly:

"It's all right, Mother Mawks," she said, with an attempt at a smile;
"here's your shilling, here's the four pennies for the gin. I don't owe
you anything for the child now." She stopped and hesitated, looking
down tenderly at the frail creature in her arms; then added, almost
pleadingly, "It's asleep now. May I take it with me to-night?"

Mother Mawks, who had been testing the coins Liz had given her by biting
them ferociously with her large yellow teeth, broke into a loud laugh.

"Ta