plied stubbornly.

Again she considered.

"And you know," she said, "Annie's a bit of a spendthrift. She's saved
no more than eleven pounds. And I know, lad, you haven't had much
chance."

He coloured up to the ears.

"I've got thirty-three quid," he said.

"It doesn't go far," she answered.

He said nothing, but twisted his fingers.

"And you know," she said, "I've nothing--"

"I didn't want, ma!" he cried, very red, suffering and remonstrating.

"No, my lad, I know. I was only wishing I had. And take away five pounds
for the wedding and things--it leaves twenty-nine pounds. You won't do
much on that."

He twisted still, impotent, stubborn, not looking up.

"But do you really want to get married?" she asked. "Do you feel as if
you ought?"

He gave her one straight look from his blue eyes.

"Yes," he said.

"Then," she replied, "we must all do the best we can for it, lad."

The next time he looked up there were tears in his eyes.

"I don't want Annie to feel handicapped," he said, struggling.

"My lad," she said, "you're steady--you've got a decent place. If a man
had NEEDED me I'd have married him on his last week's wages. She may
find it a bit hard to start humbly. Young girls ARE like that. They look
forward to the fine home they think they'll have. But I had expensive
furniture. It's not everything."

So the wedding took place almost immediately. Arthur came home, and was
splendid in uniform. Annie looked nice in a dove-grey dress that she
could take for Sundays. Morel called her a fool for getting married, and
was cool with his son-in-law. Mrs. Morel had white tips in her bonnet,
and some white on her blouse, and was teased by both her sons for
fancying herself so grand. Leonard was jolly and cordial, and felt a
fearful fool. Paul could not quite see what Annie wanted to get
married for. He was fond of her, and she of him. Still, he hoped rather
lugubriously that it would turn out all right. Arthur was astonishingly
handsome in his scarlet and yellow, and he knew it well, but was
secretly ashamed of the uniform. Annie cried her eyes up in the kitchen,
on leaving her mother. Mrs. Morel cried a little, then patted her on the
back and said:

"But don't cry, child, he'll be good to you."

Morel stamped and said she was a fool to go and tie herself up. Leonard
looked white and overwrought. Mrs. Morel said to him:

"I s'll trust her to you, my lad, and hold you responsible for her."

"You can