her affectionately. "Good-bye, Rosie dear. And mind,
now, if ever again Danny goes talkin' such nonsense, ye're to call me,
and I'll soon settle him. Now run along, or that brute of a Terry'll be
after you."

"Good-bye, Rosie," Danny called out, in a tone of hypocritical meekness
that made Rosie's blood boil anew.

Rosie stopped and turned about to give him the look of scorn that he
deserved.

"Danny Agin, you just ought to be ashamed o' yourself the way you treat
poor Mis' Agin!"

"I am, Rosie," Danny gasped in a voice of mock tears exasperating beyond
words.

CHAPTER XVII

ROSIE PROMISES TO BE GOOD

Rosie hurried away, furious at Danny, and furious also at her own
father. Any man who puts his womenfolk to such shame ought to be choked!
In spite of certain drawbacks, Janet McFadden's lot was happier than
Mrs. Agin's, or than Rosie's own. At least no one ever called into
question Dave McFadden's ability to govern his own household. This was
so patent to the world at large that Janet could actually go about
pretending that her father was a sentimental weakling. Happy, happy
Janet!

It made Rosie shudder in self-disgust to think of the many damning
admissions that she had made Janet. Well, at any rate, she would never
again be caught. She had learned a thing or two since yesterday.
Moreover, she would lose no time in setting Janet right. She would stop
to see Janet now on her way home. That scar story would make Janet open
her eyes! And Rosie would not foolishly situate it on a spot as easy of
detection as her mother's right shoulder. Nev-er!

A woman who was sweeping the steps in front of the tenement where the
McFaddens lived, made the friendly inquiry: "Lookin' for Janet?"

Rosie nodded.

"Better not go up," the woman advised. "Dave McFadden's just come in
soused again."

Rosie paused.

"Is he beating Janet?"

"No, I don't think so. Janet knows pretty well how to take care of
herself. Gee, you ought to see her dodge him! She's a wonder! He
wouldn't ha' caught her last time if she hadn't slipped."

Rosie started on, and the woman called after her: "I tell you, you
better not go up! Dave sure is out lookin' for trouble!"

The warning was a kindly one, but Rosie saw no reason for accepting it.
The truth was that, in her present mood of resentment against the Danny
Agins and Jamie O'Briens of life, she felt that it would be a relief to
see a man who was confessedly out looking for trouble.