in herself, a pleasure which shot
through her from top to toe. For no reason, she stepped back from the
window, and looked in the opposite direction towards the church; but
she could see him when he came bounding past with his satchel of books
under his arm, and she also knew that he saw her. He ran on, however,
and going round the corner, where Orchard Row turned off at an angle
out of Orchard Street, was out of sight in a moment.

But Beth was satisfied. Indeed she was more than satisfied. She ran into
the kitchen, and astonished Harriet by a burst of hilarious spirits, and
a wild demand for food, for a duster, for a scrubbing-brush. She wanted
to do a lot, and she was hungry.

"You're fond, ah think," said Harriet dryly.

"You're fond, too," Beth cried. "We're all fond! The fonder the
better! And I must have something to eat."

"Well, there's nothing for you but bread."

"I must have meat," said Beth. "Rob the joint, and I'll not take any
at dinner."

"Ah'd tak' it w'eniver ah could get it, if ah was you," Harriet
advised.

"If you was or were me, you'd do as I do," said Beth; "and _I_ won't
cheat. If I say I won't take it, I won't. I'm entitled to meat once a
day, and I'll take my share now, please; but I won't take more than my
share."

"You'll be 'ungry again by dinner-time."

"I know," said Beth. "But that won't make any difference."

She got out the sirloin of beef which was to be roasted for dinner,
deftly cut some slices off it, fried them with some cold potatoes, and
ate them ravenously, helped by Harriet. When dinner-time came Beth was
ravenous again, but she was faithful to her vow, and ate no meat.
Harriet scoffed at her for her scrupulousness.

The next day, at the same time, Beth was again in the window, waiting
for her boy to come out of the Mansion-House School. When he appeared,
the most delightful thrill shot through her. Her first impulse was to
fly, but she conquered that and waited, watching him. He made straight
for the window, and stopped in a business-like way; and then they
laughed and looked into each other's faces.

"What are you doing there?" he asked, as if he were accustomed to see
her somewhere else.

"I live here," she said.

"I live in Orchard Row, last house," he rejoined.

"Old Lee's?" Beth inquired.

"Yes, he's my grandfather. I'm Sammy Lee."

"He's a licensed victualler, retired," Beth repeated, drawing upon her
excellent verbal memory.

"Yes," said Sammy.