mas boys when he used the
rest to paper Mrs Hunter's closet with down at Downhill. Your piece
was left over of that, and may be there was half-a-yard more; but he
locks that there workshop of his, so as one can't get in to get a bit of
shavings to light the fire. So you must ask him. I am sure I dare not
do it. He's _that_ angry if one does but look into his shop."

"I must try and get it!" said Judith.

"Not now, I wouldn't," entreated Molly. "What is it to the ladies? And
father, he will be fit to tear the place down if he hears of it! Them
Gobblealls is set again him already, and 'tis just taking away our bread
to say a bit more about it to them folks. George Hewlett is particular
enough already, without having a work about this."

Poor Judith, she felt as if she could never be at peace with her
conscience, while she had those yellow laburnums in sight in her room,
and she did not see how restitution and confession could injure her
brother-in-law; but her code of right and wrong was very different from
that of either husband or wife.

Molly went on maundering about the hardship of having taken in a poor
helpless thing, and having stood between her and the workhouse, only
that she should turn a viper and a spy, and take her poor children's
bread out of their mouths, forgetting that Jem was at the very moment
eating up the piece of apple-pie that had come with the cutlets.

Judith tried to get her thoughts together, and decided that, however
much she might dread Dan's anger, and care for his interest and family
peace, it was her duty to do her best to recover whatever remnant was
possible of his booty. So when he came home to dinner she ventured to
ask him if he had a piece left of that paper of her screen.

"Why?" he asked, turning on her, as if he hoped to make more of whatever
he had.

She told him timidly, and it was as she had feared. He began abusing
her violently for letting spies up into her room, and turning against
him, that let her have her house-room, and "worriting" them all with her
hypocritical ways. He could tell her there was nothing between her and
the workhouse, and all was interspersed with oaths, terrible to hear.

Molly began taking her part, and declaring that Judith could not help it
if little miss would come into her room; but Dan, who had qualified last
night's revel with another mug of ale, was quite past all reason, and
declared that Judith called the girl up on purpose to