a time; but she comforted
herself with the idea that father would get them back for her as soon
as he returned. She reached them out of the box, feeling carefully
lest she should take any of Robin's or the baby's by mistake in the
dark; and then she set off with her valuable bundle, wondering how many
shillings she would get for them, and whether she could make the money
last till her father came. The pawnbroker's shop was a small, dingy
place in Rosemary Lane; and it, and the rooms above it, were as full as
they could be with bundles such as poor Meg carried under her old
shawl. A single gas-light was flaring away in the window, and a
hard-featured, sharp-eyed man was reading a newspaper behind the
counter. Meg laid down her bundle timidly, and waited till he had
finished reading his paragraph; after which he opened it, spread out
the half-worn frock, and held up the bonnet on his fist, regarding them
both with a critical and contemptuous eye. Some one else had entered
the shop, but Meg was too absorbed and too anxious to take any heed of
it The pawnbroker rolled the frock up scornfully, and gave it a push
towards her.

[Illustration: The pawnbroker spread out the half-worn frock, and held
up the bonnet on his fist.]

'Tenpence for the two,' he said, looking back at his newspaper.

'Oh! if you please,' cried little Meg, in an agony of distress, 'you
must give me more than tenpence. I've got two little children, and no
bread, nor coals, nor candles. I couldn't buy scarcely anythink with
only tenpence. Indeed, indeed, my red frock's worth a great deal more;
it's worth I don't know how many shillings.'

'You go home, little Meg,' said Kitty's voice behind her, 'and I'll
bring you three shillings for the frock, and one for the bonnet; four
for the two. Mr Sloman's an old friend o' mine, he is; and he'll
oblige you for my sake. There, you run away, and I'll manage this
little bit o' business for you.'

Meg ran away as she was told, glad enough to leave her business with
Kitty. By-and-by she heard her coming upstairs, and went out to meet
her. Kitty placed four shillings in her hand.

'Meg,' she said, 'you let me do that sort o' work for you always.
They'll cheat you ever so; but I wouldn't, not to save my life, if
you'll only trust me. You ask me another time. Is that the way God
takes care of you?'

'He does take care of me,' answered Meg, with a smile; 'or may be you
wouldn't have come into the sho