hungry, and ill, and to rise more weak, hungry, and
miserable still. Yet in that little home there had also lived a thin,
worn-out woman, who had never spoken a harsh word to him, but had often
tried to stay his tears with her kisses. And Fe knew now--and the
knowledge was agony--that he would never rest his eyes upon that sweet
mother-face again.

Mrs. Crump earned what she could get by selling flowers in the streets.
She thought she could not turn poor Fe to better account than by making
him sell them too, so she arranged half her bunches in Fe's basket, and
tied it round his neck. Then she took him with her, and while she went
round to the houses Fe stood in the principal streets, and offered his
flowers to the passers-by.

Old Mrs. Crump soon made the discovery that "the heir" sold many more
than she did during the day, but such was her vanity that she could not
at first bring herself to believe that people preferred to buy of the
pale-faced cripple boy than of her, with her jet black wig and creaking
voice. When she found it was really the case, she was very angry. But
besides being a very jealous old woman, she was naturally avaricious in
the extreme, and she kept all Fe's earnings, and only gave him very
scanty food in return.

She did not care to give up "seeing after him for a bit," yet she
allowed a strong dislike to grow up against the boy in her own old cross
heart.

One day, as Fe stood by the side of the street, with his basket hanging
from his neck, and a bit of sunlight shining straight into his eyes, he
felt some one touch his arm, and when he turned his head, he saw a young
lady leaning towards him. She had long shining hair and blue eyes, there
were dimples and bright pink on her cheeks; she slipped sixpence into
his hand, whispering something about keeping it quite for himself, and
then passed on, walking very quickly.

When Fe looked up to thank her, he saw only the flowing shining hair
under a round black hat in the distance. Fe thought about the money for
a long time: it was the first gift he had ever received, and he wondered
if he might really keep it for himself. He thought how often, when he
was so hot and thirsty, he might buy a little milk, and it seemed
refreshing only to think of it. Then he remembered that Mrs. Crump took
all the pence he earned, and he felt sure that she disliked him very
much, and would take away his sixpence the moment she saw it. So at last
he twisted it in a le