. She
herself had eaten one, but she laid her hand on her chest when she
swallowed. One of the young men had gone out to get her some brandy,
and he had come back with half-a-dozen large bottles of Bass as
well.

Mr. Houghton was very much concerned over Madame's cold. He asked
the same questions again and again, to try and make sure how bad it
was. But Mrs. Rollings didn't seem quite to know. James wrinkled his
brow. Supposing Madame could not take her part! He was most anxious.

"Do you think you might go across with Mrs. Rollings and see how
this woman is, Alvina?" he said to his daughter.

"I should think you'll never turn Alvina out on such a night," said
Miss Pinnegar. "And besides, it isn't right. Where is Mr. May? It's
his business to go."

"Oh!" returned Alvina. "_I_ don't mind going. Wait a minute, I'll
see if we haven't got some of those pastilles for burning. If it's
very bad, I can make one of those plasters mother used."

And she ran upstairs. She was curious to see what Madame and her
four young men were like.

With Mrs. Rollings she called at the chemist's back door, and then
they hurried through the sleet to the widow's dwelling. It was not
far. As they went up the entry they heard the sound of voices. But
in the kitchen all was quiet. The voices came from the front room.

Mrs. Rollings tapped.

"Come in!" said a rather sharp voice. Alvina entered on the widow's
heels.

"I've brought you the cough stuff," said the widow. "And Miss
Huff'n's come as well, to see how you was."

Four young men were sitting round the table in their shirt-sleeves,
with bottles of Bass. There was much cigarette smoke. By the fire,
which was burning brightly, sat a plump, pale woman with dark bright
eyes and finely-drawn eyebrows: she might be any age between forty
and fifty. There were grey threads in her tidy black hair. She was
neatly dressed in a well-made black dress with a small lace collar.
There was a slight look of self-commiseration on her face. She had a
cigarette between her drooped fingers.

She rose as if with difficulty, and held out her plump hand, on
which four or five rings showed. She had dropped the cigarette
unnoticed into the hearth.

"How do you do," she said. "I didn't catch your name." Madame's
voice was a little plaintive and plangent now, like a bronze reed
mournfully vibrating.

"Alvina Houghton," said Alvina.

"Daughter of him as owns the thee-etter where you're goin' to act,"
i