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 tea-tray and set o’ cheeney ’at she brought for a portion when we were wed.”

“And if somebody lent you a pound or two, could you make any good use of it? Could you get into a new way of doing something?”

Farren did not answer; but his wife said quickly, “Ay, I’m sure he could, sir; he’s a very contriving chap, is our William. If he’d two or three pounds, he could begin selling stuff.”

“Could you, William?”

“Please God,” returned William, deliberately, “I could buy groceries, and bits o’ tapes, and thread, and what I thought would sell, and I could begin hawking at first.”

“And you know, sir,” interposed Grace, “you’re sure William would neither drink, nor idle, nor waste in any way. He’s my husband, and I should n’t praise him, but I will say, there’s not a soberer, honester man i’ England nor he is.”

“Well, I’ll speak to one or two friends, and I think I can promise to let him have 5l. in a day or two: as a loan, ye mind, not a gift: he must pay it back.”

“I understand, sir: I’m quite agreeable to that.”

“Meantime, there’s a few shillings for you, Grace, just to keep the pot boiling till custom comes. Now, bairns, stand up in a row and say your cate-