ensive weapon,
of a stout leathern belt heavily buckled; Mr. Higgs boasted that with
one stroke of his belt he could, if it seemed good to him, kill his
man, but the fitting opportunity for this display of prowess had not
yet offered. . . .

Now it happened that, at the time of her making Jane Snowdon's
acquaintance, Miss Lant was particularly interested in Shooter's
Gardens and the immediate vicinity. She had associated herself with
certain ladies who undertook the control of a soup-kitchen in the
neighbourhood, and as the winter advanced she engaged Jane in this work
of charity. It was a good means, as Michael Snowdon agreed, of enabling
the girl to form acquaintances among the very poorest, those whom she
hoped to serve effectively--not with aid of money alone, but by her
personal influence. And I think it will be worth while to dwell a
little on the story of this same soup-kitchen; it is significant, and
shall take the place of abstract comment on Miss Lant's philanthropic
enterprises.

The kitchen had been doing successful work for some years; the society
which established it entrusted its practical conduct to very practical
people, a man and wife who were themselves of the nether world, and
knew the ways thereof. The 'stock' which formed the basis of the soup
was wholesome and nutritious; the peas were of excellent quality;
twopence a quart was the price at which this fluid could be purchased
(one penny if a ticket from a member of the committee were presented),
and sometimes as much as five hundred quarts would be sold in a day.
Satisfactory enough this. When the people came with complaints, saying
that they were tired of this particular soup, and would like another
kind for a change, Mr. and Mrs. Batterby, with perfect understanding of
the situation, bade their customers 'take it or leave it--an' none o'
your cheek here, or you won't get nothing at all!' The result was much
good-humour all round.

But the present year saw a change in the constitution of the committee:
two or three philanthropic ladies of great conscientiousness began to
inquire busily into the working of the soup-kitchen, and they soon
found reason to be altogether dissatisfied with Mr. and Mrs. Batterby.
No, no; these managers were of too coarse a type; they spoke grossly;
what possibility of their exerting a humanising influence on the people
to whom they dispensed soup? Soup and refinement must be disseminated
at one and the same time, ov