uldn't take a shilling from Frank Jones. Frank Jones is all the
world to me, but he cannot help me till he has made me his wife. We
must go out of this at the end of the first week, and send the piano
back. As far as I can make it out, our expenses here will be about
L17 10s. a week. What the piano will cost, I don't know; but we'll
learn that from Mr. Moss. I'll make him understand that we can't
stay here, having no more than twenty shillings a day. If he won't
undertake to give me L2 a day immediately after Christmas, we must go
back to New York while we've got money left to take us."

"Have it your own way," said Mr. O'Mahony.

"I don't mean to remain here and wake up some morning and find that I
can't stir a step without asking Mahomet M. M. for some money favour.
I know I can sing; I can sing, at any rate, to the extent of forty
shillings a day. For forty shillings a day I'll stay; but if I can't
earn that at once let us go back to New York. It is not the poverty I
mind so much, nor yet the debt, nor yet even your distress, you dear
old father. You and I could weather it out together on a twopenny
roll. Things would never be altogether bad with us as long as we are
together; and as long as we have not put ourselves in the power of
Mahomet M. M. Fancy owing Mr. Moss a sum of money which we couldn't
pay! Mahomet's 'little bill!' I would say to a Christian: 'All right,
Mr. Christian, you shall have your money in good time, and if you
don't it won't hurt you.' He wouldn't be any more than an ordinary
Christian, and would pull a long face; but he would have no little
scheme ready, cut and dry, for getting my body and soul under his
thumb."

"You are very unchristian yourself, my dear."

"I certainly have my own opinion of Mahomet M. M., and I shall tell
him to-morrow morning that I don't mean to run the danger."

Then they went to bed, and slept the sleep of the just. They ordered
breakfast at nine, so that, as Rachel said, the heavy mutton-chop
might not be sticking in her throat as she attempted to show off
before Mr. Moss on his arrival. But from eight till nine she passed
her time in the double employment of brushing her hair and preparing
the conversation as it was to take place between herself and Mr.
Moss. When a young lady boasts that she doesn't "let a word go
without thinking of it," she has to be careful in preparing her
words. And she prepared them now.

"There will be two of them against me," she sai