ssed Bertie's leg she began to wash up the tea things and tidy the
room, not knowing very well what to be at, but hoping minute by minute
to get Mrs. Vincent to speak to her.

In the midst of her labours, an elderly woman cautiously opened the door
and beckoned to her.

Marcella went out into the passage.

"I'm her mother, miss! I 'eered you were 'ere, an' I follered yer. Oh!
such a business as we 'ad, 'er 'usband an' me, a gettin' of 'er 'ome
last night. There's a neighbour come to me, an' she says: 'Mrs. Lucas,
there's your daughter a drinkin' in that public 'ouse, an' if I was you
I'd go and fetch her out; for she's got a lot o' money, an' she's
treatin' everybody all round.' An' Charlie--that's 'er 'usband--ee come
along too, an' between us we got holt on her. An' iver sence we brought
her 'ome last night, she set there in that cheer, an' niver a word to
nobody! Not to me 't any rate, nor the chillen. I believe 'er 'usband
an' 'er 'ad words this mornin'. But she won't tell me nothin'. She sits
there--just heart-broke"--the woman put up her apron to her eyes and
began crying. "She ain't eatin' nothink all day, an' I dursen't leave
the 'ouse out o' me sight--I lives close by, miss--for fear of 'er doing
'erself a mischief."

"How long has she been like this?" said Marcella, drawing the door
cautiously to behind her.

"About fourteen month," said the woman, hopelessly. "An' none of us
knows why. She was such a neat, pretty girl when she married 'im--an' ee
such a steady fellow. An' I've done _my_ best. I've talked to 'er, an'
I've 'id 'er 'at an' her walking things, an' taken 'er money out of 'er
pockets. An', bless yer, she's been all right now for seven weeks--till
last night. Oh, deary, deary, me! whatever 'ull become o' them--'er, an'
'im, an' the children!"

The tears coursed down the mother's wrinkled face.

"Leave her to me a little longer," said Marcella, softly; "but come back
to me in about half an hour, and don't let her be alone."

The woman nodded, and went away.

Mrs. Vincent turned quickly round as Marcella came back again, and spoke
for the first time:

"That was my mother you were talkin' to?"

"Yes," said Marcella, quietly, as she took the kettle off the fire. "Now
I do want you to have a cup of tea, Mrs. Vincent. Will you, if I make
it?"

The poor creature did not speak, but she followed Marcella's movements
with her weary eyes. At last when Marcella knelt down beside her holding
out