Mrs. Mills. I am showing this lady a bit of London.'

'And would the lady be your wife, sir?'

'Oh no,' said Pitt, laughing a little; 'you honour me too much. This is
an American lady, from over the sea ever so far; and I want her to know
what sort of a place London is.'

'It's a bitter poor place for the likes of us,' said the woman. 'You
should show her where the grand folk lives, that built these houses for
the poor to be stowed in.'

'Yes, I have showed her some of those, and now I have brought her to
see your part of the world.'

'It's not to call a part o' the world!' said the woman. 'Do you call
this a part of the world, Mr. Dallas? I mind when I lived where trees
grow, and there was primroses in the grass; them's happier that hasn't
known it. If you axed me sometimes, I would tell you that this is hell!
Yet it ain't so bad as most. It's what folk call very decent. Oh yes!
it's decent, it is, no doubt. I'll be carried out of it some day, and
bless the day!'

'How is your boy?'

'He's fairly, sir, thank you.'

'No better?' said Pitt gently.

'He won't never be no better,' the woman said, with a doggedness which
Betty guessed was assumed to hide the tenderer feeling beneath. 'He's
done for. There ain't nothin' but ill luck comes upon folks as lives in
such a hole, and couldn't other!'

'I'll come and see you about Tim,' said Pitt. 'Keep up a good heart in
the mean while. Good-bye! I'll see you soon.'

He went no farther in that alley. He turned and brought Betty out,
called another cab, and ordered the man to drive to Kensington Gardens.
Till they arrived there he would not talk; bade Betty wait with her
questions. The way was long enough to let her think them all over
several times. At last the cab stopped, Pitt handed her out, and led
her into the Gardens. Here was a change. Trees of noble age and growth
shadowed the ground, greensward stretched away in peaceful smoothness,
the dust and the noise of the great city seemed to be escaped. It was
fresh and shady, and even sweet. They could hear each other speak,
without unduly raising their voices. Pitt went on till he found a place
that suited him, and they sat down, in a refreshing greenness and quiet.

'Now,' said Betty, 'I suppose I may ask. What did you take me to that
last place for?'

'That will appear in due time. What did you think of it?'

'It is difficult to tell you what I think of it. Is much of London like
that?'

'Much of it is far