nd slept soundly till
four o'clock in the afternoon. Then she got up, dressed herself, and
prepared to face the storms of 17 Hagworth Street.

When she walked into the kitchen, the family was assembled in conclave
round the tea-table. The addition of her brother to the usual party of
three made her exclaim in surprise from the doorway:

"Oo--er, there's Alfie."

"So you've come back?" said Mrs. Raeburn.

"Yes, I went to Covent Garden Ball."

"I wonder you dare show your face."

"Why not?" asked Jenny, advancing towards the table.

"Oh, leave her alone, mother," said May. "She's tired."

"You dare tell me what I'm to do," Mrs. Raeburn threatened, turning
sharply to her youngest daughter.

Jenny began to unbutton her gloves, loftily unconscious of her mother's
gaze, which was now again directed upon her.

"How's yourself, young Alf?" she lightly inquired.

"Better than you, I hope," came the morose reply muffled by a teacup.

"Perhaps you'd like us to help you off with your things?" Mrs. Raeburn
suggested sarcastically.

"Eh?" Jenny retorted, pointing a cold insolence of manner with arched
contemptuous eyebrows.

"Don't you try and defy me, miss," Mrs. Raeburn warned her. "Because you
know I won't have it."

"Who cares? I haven't done nothing."

Alfie guffawed ironically.

"I wonder you aren't afraid to make a noise like that with such long
ears as you've got," said Jenny. "I should be."

Alfie muttered something about sauce under his breath, but ventured no
audible retort.

"Well, what's the matter?" Jenny asked. "Get it over and done with."

"Where were you last night?"

"I told you. At Covent Garden Ball."

"And afterwards?"

"I went home with Ireen."

"And that's a ---- lie," shouted Alfie. "Because I saw you go off with a
fellah."

"What of it, Mr. Nosy Parker? And don't use your navvy's language to me,
because I don't like it."

"That's quite right," May agreed. "He ought to be ashamed of himself."

"You shut up, you silly kid," Alfie commanded.

Here Charlie entered the dispute.

"There's no call to swear, Alf. I can argue without swearing and so can
you."

"It was you that learned him to swear. He's heard you often enough,"
Mrs. Raeburn pointed out. "But that's no reason why Alfie should."

Jenny, more insolently contemptuous than ever, interrupted the
side-issue.

"When you've finished arguing which is the biggest lady and gentleman in
this room, perhaps you'll let me f