ly backing his chair,
intercepted her. The girl gave him her hand, and, by way of being
jocose, he squeezed it so vehemently that she uttered a shrill 'Oh!'

'Leave go, Mr. Dabbs! Leave go, I tell you! How dare you? I'll hit you
as hard as I can!'

Daniel laughed obstreperously.

'Do! do!' he cried. 'What a mighty blow that 'ud be! Only the left hand,
though. I shall get over it.'

She wrenched herself away, gave Daniel a smart slap on the back, and
ran round to the other side of the table, where she kissed Emma
affectionately.

'How thirsty I am!' she exclaimed. 'You haven't drunk all the beer, I
hope.'

'I'm not so sure of that,' Dan replied. 'Why, there ain't more than 'arf
a pint; that's not much use for a Royal 'Ighness.'

She poured it into a glass. Alice reached across the table, raised the
glass to her lips, and--emptied it. Then she threw off hat, tippet,
and gloves, and seated herself But in a moment she was up and at the
cupboard.

'Now, mother, you don't--you _don't_ say as there's not a pickle!'

Her tone was deeply reproachful.

'Why, there now,' replied her mother, laughing; 'I knew what it 'ud be!
I meant to a' got them last night. You'll have to make shift for once.'

The Princess took her seat with an air of much dejection. Her pretty
lips grew mutinous; she pushed her plate away.

'No supper for me! The idea of cold meat without a pickle.'

'What's the time?' cried Daniel. 'Not closing time yet. I can get a
pickle at the "Duke's Arms." Give me a glass, Mrs. Mutimer.'

Alice looked up slily, half smiling, half doubtful.

'You may go,' she said. 'I like to see strong men make themselves
useful.'

Dan rose, and was off at once. He returned with the tumbler full of
pickled walnuts. Alice emptied half a dozen into her plate, and put
one of them whole into her mouth. She would not have been a girl of her
class if she had not relished this pungent dainty. Fish of any kind,
green vegetables, eggs and bacon, with all these a drench of vinegar was
indispensable to her. And she proceeded to eat a supper scarcely less
substantial than that which had appeased her brother's appetite. Start
not, dear reader; the Princess is only a subordinate heroine, and
happens, moreover, to be a living creature.

'Won't you take a walnut, Miss Vine?' Daniel asked, pushing the tumbler
to the quiet girl, who had scarcely spoken through the meal.

She declined the offered dainty, and at the same time rose from