Page:A Child of the Jago - Arthur Morrison.djvu/77

 and bleeding, she was merely conscious of being gently led—almost carried—indoors and upstairs. She was laid back on the bed, and somebody loosened her hair and wiped her face and neck, giving her hoarse, comforting words. Then she saw the face—scared though coarse and pitted, and red about the eyes—that bent over her. It was Pigeony Poll's.

Dicky had followed her in, no longer the hero of the Jago Row retreat, but his face tearful and distorted, carrying the baby in his arms and wiping the mud from her eyes. Now he sat on the little box and continued his ministrations, with fear in his looks, as he glanced at his mother on the bed.

Without, the fight rallied once more. The Learys ran to avenge Sally Green, and the Ranns to meet them with a will. Down by the bag of Nails a party of Ranns were driven between the posts and