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thing。 As for cooking； I've got a natural aptitude for it。 You ask
Emma； she'll tell you。 You don't want nothing 'laborate？〃
〃Elizabeth；〃 said Mr。 Peter Hope； as he crossed and； taking up the
poker； proceeded to stir the fire； 〃are we awake or asleep？〃
Elizabeth thus appealed to； raised herself on her hind legs and dug
her claws into her master's thigh。 Mr。 Hope's trousers being thin； it was
the most practical answer she could have given him。
〃Done a lot of looking after other people for their benefit；〃 continued
Tommy。 〃Don't see why I shouldn't do it for my own。〃
〃My dearI do wish I knew whether you were a boy or a girl。 Do
you seriously suggest that I should engage you as my housekeeper？〃
asked Mr。 Peter Hope； now upright with his back to the fire。
〃I'd do for you all right；〃 persisted Tommy。 〃You give me my grub
and a shake…down and； say； sixpence a week； and I'll grumble less than
most of 'em。〃
〃Don't be ridiculous；〃 said Mr。 Peter Hope。
〃You won't try me？〃
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〃Of course not； you must be mad。〃
〃All right。 No harm done。〃 The dirty hand reached out towards the
desk； and possessing itself again of Hammond's Bill of Fare；
commenced the operations necessary for bearing it away in safety。
〃Here's a shilling for you；〃 said Mr。 Peter Hope。
〃Rather not；〃 said Tommy。 〃Thanks all the same。〃
〃Nonsense！〃 said Mr。 Peter Hope。
〃Rather not；〃 repeated Tommy。 〃Never know where that sort of thing
may lead you to。〃
〃All right；〃 said Mr。 Peter Hope； replacing the coin in his pocket。
〃Don't！〃
The figure moved towards the door。
〃Wait a minute。 Wait a minute；〃 said Mr。 Peter Hope irritably。
The figure； with its hand upon the door； stood still。
〃Are you going back to Hammond's？〃
〃No。 I've finished there。 Only took me on for a couple o' weeks；
while one of the gals was ill。 She came back this morning。〃
〃Who are your people？〃
Tommy seemed puzzled。 〃What d'ye mean？〃
〃Well； whom do you live with？〃
〃Nobody。〃
〃You've got nobody to look after youto take care of you？〃
〃Take care of me！ D'ye think I'm a bloomin' kid？〃
〃Then where are you going to now？〃
〃Going？ Out。〃
Peter Hope's irritation was growing。
〃I mean； where are you going to sleep？ Got any money for a
lodging？〃
〃Yes； I've got some money；〃 answered Tommy。 〃But I don't think
much o' lodgings。 Not a particular nice class as you meet there。 I shall
sleep out to…night。 'Tain't raining。〃
Elizabeth uttered a piercing cry。
〃Serves you right！〃 growled Peter savagely。 〃How can anyone help
treading on you when you will get just between one's legs。 Told you of
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it a hundred times。〃
The truth of the matter was that Peter was becoming very angry with
himself。 For no reason whatever； as he told himself； his memory would
persist in wandering to Ilford Cemetery； in a certain desolate corner of
which lay a fragile little woman whose lungs had been but ill adapted to
breathing London fogs； with； on the top of her； a still smaller and still
more fragile mite of humanity that； in compliment to its only relative
worth a penny…piece； had been christened Thomasa name common
enough in all conscience； as Peter had reminded himself more than once。
In the name of common sense； what had dead and buried Tommy Hope
to do with this affair？ The whole thing was the veriest sentiment； and
sentiment was Mr。 Peter Hope's abomination。 Had he not penned
articles innumerable pointing out its baneful influence upon the age？
Had he not always condemned it； wherever he had come across it in play
or book？ Now and then the suspicion had crossed Peter's mind that； in
spite of all this； he was somewhat of a sentimentalist himselfthings had
suggested this to him。 The fear had always made him savage。
〃You wait here till I come back；〃 he growled； seizing the astonished
Tommy by the worsted comforter and spinning it into the centre of the
room。 〃Sit down； and don't you dare to move。〃 And Peter went out
and slammed the door behind him。
〃Bit off his chump； ain't he？〃 remarked Tommy to Elizabeth； as the
sound of Peter's descending footsteps died away。 People had a way of
addressing remarks to Elizabeth。 Something in her manner invited this。
〃Oh； well； it's all in the day's work；〃 commented Tommy cheerfully；
and sat down as bid。
Five minutes passed； maybe ten。 Then Peter returned； accompanied
by a large； restful lady； to whom surpriseone felt it instinctivelyhad
always been； and always would remain； an unknown quantity。
Tommy rose。
〃That's thethe article；〃 explained Peter。
Mrs。 Postwhistle compressed her lips and slightly tossed her head。
It was the attitude of not ill…natured contempt from which she regarded
most human affairs。
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〃That's right；〃 said Mrs。 Postwhistle； 〃I remember seeing 'er there
leastways； it was an 'er right enough then。 What 'ave you done with
your clothes？〃
〃They weren't mine；〃 explained Tommy。 〃They were things what
Mrs。 Hammond had lent me。〃
〃Is that your own？〃 asked Mrs。 Postwhistle； indicating the blue silk
garibaldi。
〃Yes。〃
〃What went with it？〃
〃Tights。 They were too far gone。〃
〃What made you give up the tumbling business and go to Mrs。
'Ammond's？〃
〃It gave me up。 Hurt myself。〃
〃Who were you with last？〃
〃Martini troupe。〃
〃And before that？〃
〃Oh！ heaps of 'em。〃
〃Nobody ever told you whether you was a boy or a girl？〃
〃Nobody as I'd care to believe。 Some of them called me the one；
some of them the other。 It depended upon what was wanted。〃
〃How old are you？〃
〃I dunno。〃
Mrs。 Postwhistle turned to Peter； who was jingling keys。
〃Well； there's the bed upstairs。 It's for you to decide。〃
〃What I don't want to do；〃 explained Peter； sinking his voice to a
confidential whisper； 〃is to make a fool of myself。〃
〃That's always a good rule；〃 agreed Mrs。 Postwhistle； 〃for those to
whom it's possible。〃
〃Anyhow；〃 said Peter； 〃one night can't do any harm。 To…morrow we
can think what's to be done。〃
〃To…morrow〃had always been Peter's lucky day。 At the mere mention
of the magic date his spirits invariably rose。 He now turned upon
Tommy a countenance from which all hesitation was banished。
〃Very well； Tommy；〃 said Mr。 Peter Hope； 〃you can sleep here to…
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night。 Go with Mrs。 Postwhistle； and she'll show you your room。〃
The black eyes shone。
〃You're going to give me a trial？〃
〃We'll talk about all that to…morrow。〃 The black eyes clouded。
〃Look here。 I tell you straight； it ain't no good。〃
〃What do you mean？ What isn't any good？〃 demanded Peter。
〃You'll want to send me to prison。〃
〃To prison！〃
〃Oh； yes。 You'll call it a school； I know。 You ain't the first that's
tried that on。 It won't work。〃 The bright； black eyes were flashing
passionately。 〃I ain't done any harm。 I'm willing to work。 I can
keep myself。 I always have。 What's it got to do with anybody else？〃
Had the bright； black eyes retained their expression of