Page:Triangles of life, and other stories.djvu/86

 and did, after several whispered and determined interviews, that very night.

"So it's that——old bitch an' her henchbeck daughter. I might a-known it wi'out askin'. God forgive Billy ! but I've heerd Bob hisself say, 'Never trust a dwarf, or a hunchback, or a cripple.'" Then he went in to Lizzie.

He started to broach the subject delicately, and found great difficulty, but presently he got at it, without knowing it. He was somewhat surprised to find that she had known about the talk all along, but had considered it less than nothing in particular, and didn't want to be bothered listening about it. But Billy forgot his surprise in his anger on Bob's account, and he warmed up to the thing.

"God forgive Billy ! but I'll show'm I ain't agoin' to have that——old woman an' her henchback daughter acomin' atween Bob an' you an' me. Bob was my chum arter I broke wi' Tom an' all on 'em first time. We was chums and pals in London. Bob came arter I broke wi' Tom last time—or—at—least arter that——sister-in-law o' mine broke it for us." Then with more loss of control. " We was warm, we was me an' Tom. We never had a dry word afore that sister-in-law o' mine came atween us. She'd a come atween meanyou. She tried hard. She set Tom agin you, Lizzie. An' she visits that——old slut with the henchbeck daughter. God forgive Billy! An' now they'd set me agin Bob. An' meanBob never had a dry word yet. God forgive Billy ! But I'll show'm." Then with a change of the weather and