the
table and emptied its contents down the opening of his low-cut
waistcoat.

At the sight of the abject terror on Mr. Stiffson's face, Cissie Boye
ceased to clap her hands and, turning her head, met Mrs. Stiffson's
uncompromising stare and Bindle's appreciative grin.

"Jabez!" It was like the uninflected accents of doom.

Mr. Stiffson shivered; that was the only indication he gave of having
heard. With unblinking eyes he continued to gaze at his wife as if
fascinated, the empty coffee-cup resting on his knees.

"Jabez!" repeated Mrs. Stiffson. "I thought I told you to wear your
tweed mixture to-day."

Mrs. Stiffson had a fine sense of the dramatic! The unexpectedness of
the remark caused Mr. Stiffson to blink his eyes like a puzzled owl,
without however removing them from his wife, or changing their
expression.

Cissie Boye laughed, Bindle grinned.

"Won't you sit down?" It was Cissie Boye who spoke.

"Silence, hussy!" There was no anger in Mrs. Stiffson's voice; it was
just a command and an expression of opinion.

Cissie Boye rose, the light of battle in her eyes. Bindle pushed past
Mrs. Stiffson and stood between the two women.

"Look 'ere, mum," he said, "we likes manners in this 'ere flat, an'
we're a-goin' to 'ave 'em, see! Sorry if I 'urt your feelin's. This
ain't a woman's club."

"Hold your tongue, fool!" the deep voice thundered.

"Oh, no, you don't!" said Bindle cheerfully, looking up at his
mountainous antagonist. "You can't frighten me, I ain't married to
you. Now you jest be civil."

"Listen!" cried Cissie Boye with flashing eyes. "Don't you go giving
me the bird like that, or----" She paused at a loss with what to
threaten her guest.

"It's all right, miss," said Bindle, "You jest leave 'er to me; I got
one o' my own at 'ome. She's going to speak to me, she is."

Mrs. Stiffson's efforts of self-control were proving unequal to the
occasion, her breathing became laboured and her voice husky.

"What is my husband doing in this person's flat?" demanded Mrs.
Stiffson, apparently of no one in particular. There was something like
emotion in her voice.

"Well, mum," responded Bindle, "'e was eatin' bacon an' eggs an'
drinking coffee."

"How dare you appear before my husband like that!" Mrs. Stiffson
turned fiercely upon Cissie Boye. "You brazen creature!" anger was now
taking possession of her.

"Here, easy on, old thing!" said Cissie Boye, seeing Mrs. Stiffson's
rising temper, and ent