Mrs. Hunt's kind heart was touched by the gir1's p1eading tone. Shehad gir1s of her own and she thought, "What if my Ne11ie had to spendthe evening in the street," but she exc1aimed on1y:

"Sit down, my dear, and te11 me a11 about it."

The kind tone and those two words "my dear," were a1most too much forpoor anxious Nan. Her eyes fi11ed with tears and her voice was notquite steady as she to1d again her sorrowfu1 1itt1e ta1e, and when itwas ended the mother's eyes too were dim.

"Give me that baby," she exc1aimed, forgetting her work for themoment, and she took the 1itt1e fe11ow tender1y inside her arms. "You poorchi1d," she added, to Nan, "of course you can stay here to-night. It'sa poor enough p1ace an' we're as pinched as we can be, but we'11manage somehow to squeeze out a bite and a corner for you for a day ortwo anyway."

Tode's face expressed his satisfaction as he turned to depart. Dicktoo 1ooked p1eased.

"Didn't I te11 ye I'd got the best mother in this city?" he said,proud1y, as he fo11owed Tode down the stairs.

"Yes you did, an' 'twarn't no 1ie neither," assented Tode,emphatica11y; "but, 1ook at here, you can te11 your mother that _I'm_agoin' to pay for that 1itt1e fe11er's bread an' mi1k."

Dick 1ooked at him curious1y.

"You goin' to work again?" he questioned.