hin' to take the cold
orff yer chest.--Liz," she called out to some one behind the bar, with
which the parlour communicated by an open door; "two Irish!"

The liquor was brought. Presently some one called to Mrs. Sprowl, who
went out. Leaning on the counter, in one of the compartments, was
something which a philanthropist might perhaps have had the courage to
claim as a human being; a very tall creature, with bent shoulders, and
head seeming to grow straight out of its chest; thick, grizzled hair
hiding almost every vestige of feature, with the exception of one
dreadful red eye, its fellow being dead and sightless. He had laid on
the counter, with palms downward as if concealing something, two huge
hairy paws. Mrs. Sprowl seemed familiar with the appearance of this
monster; she addressed him rather bad-temperedly, but otherwise much as
she would have spoken to any other customer.

"No, you don't, Slimy! No, you don't! What you have in this house you
pay for in coppers, so you know. Next time I catch you tryin' to ring
the changes, I'll have you run in, and then you'll get a warm bath,
which you wouldn't partic'lar care for."

The creature spoke, in hoarse, jumbled words, not easy to catch unless
you listened closely.

"If you've any accusion to make agin me, Mrs. Sprowl, p'r'aps you'll
wait till you can prove it. I want change for arf a suvrin: ain't that
straight, now?"

"Straight or not, you won't get no change over this counter, so there
you've the straight tip. Now sling yer 'ook, Slimy, an' get it
somewhere else."

"If you've any accusion to make--"

"Hold yer noise!--What's he ordered, Liz?"

"Pot o' old six," answered the girl.

"Got sixpence, Slimy?"

"No, I ain't, Mrs. Sprowl," muttered the creature. "I've got arf a
suvrin."

"Then go an' get change for it. Now, once more, sling yer 'ook."

The man moved away, sending back a horrible glare from his one fiery
eyeball.

Mrs. Sprowl re-entered the parlour.

"I wish you'd take me on as barmaid, Sarah," Harriet said, when she had
drunk her glass of spirits.

"Take you on?" exclaimed the other, with surprise. "Why, have you
fallen out with your cousin? I thought you was goin' to be married
soon."

"I didn't say for sure that I was; I only said I might be. Any way it
won't be just yet, and I'm tired of my place in the shop."

"Don't you be a fool, Harriet," said the other, with genial frankness.
"You're well enough off. You stick where you are