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〃Drat the little beast！〃 she cried。 〃Why don't it choke an' 'ave done
with it！〃
And； without heeding the terrified remonstrances of Liz； she flung the
child roughly； as though it were a ball； through the open door of her
lodgings； where it fell on a heap of dirty clothes； and lay
motionless； its wailing had ceased。
〃Oh； baby； baby！〃 exclaimed Liz； in accents of poignant distress。 〃Oh；
you have killed it； I am sure！ Oh； you are cruel； cruel！ Oh； baby；
baby！〃
And she broke into a tempestuous passion of sobs and tears。 The
bystanders looked on in unmoved silence。 Mother Mawks gathered her
torn garments round her with a gesture of defiance； and sniffed the
air as though she said； 〃Any one who wants to meddle with me will get
the worst of it。〃 There was a brief pause； suddenly a man staggered
out of the gin…shop； smearing the back of his hand across his mouth as
he camea massively built； ill…favoured brute； with a shock of
uncombed red hair and small ferret…like eyes。 He stared stupidly at
the weeping Liz； then at Mother Mawks； finally from one to the other
of the loafers who stood by。 〃Wot's the row？〃 he demanded； quickly。
〃Wot's up？ 'Ave it out fair！ Joe Mawks 'll stand by and see fair game。
Fire away； my hearties！ fire； fire away！〃 And； with a chuckling idiot
laugh； he dived into the pocket of his torn corduroy trousers and
produced a pipe。 Filling this leisurely from a greasy pouch； with such
unsteady fingers that the tobacco dropped all over him； he lighted it；
repeating； with increased thickness of utterance； 〃Wot's the row！ 'Ave
it out fair！〃
〃It's about your babby； Joe！〃 cried the girl before mentioned； jumping
up from her seat on the ground with such force that her hair came
tumbling all about her in a dark； dank mist； through which her thin；
eager face spitefully peered。 〃Liz has gone crazy！ She wants your
babby to cuddle！〃 And she screamed with sudden laughter。 〃Eh； eh；
fancy！ Wants a babby to cuddle！〃
The stupefied Joe blinked drowsily and sucked the stem of his pipe
with apparent relish。 Them； as if he had been engaged in deep
meditation on the subject； he removed his smoky consoler from his
mouth； and said； 〃W'y not？ Wants a babby to cuddle？ All right！ Let 'er
'ave itw'y not？〃
At these words Liz looked up hopefully through her tears； but Mother
Mawks darted forward in raving indignation。
〃Yer great drunken fool！〃 she yelled to her besotted spouse； 〃aren't
yer ashamed of yerself？ Wot！ let out babby for a whole night for
nuthin'？ It's lucky I've my wits about me； an' I say Liz sha'n't 'ave
it！ There； now！〃
The man looked at her； and a dogged resolution darkened his repulsive
countenance。 He raised his big fist； clinched it； and hit straight
out； giving his infuriated wife a black eye in much less than a
minute。 〃An' I say she shall 'ave it。 Where are ye now？〃
In answer to the query Mother Mawks might have said that she was 〃all
there；〃 for she returned her husband's blow with interest and force；
and in a couple of seconds the happy pair were engaged in a 〃stand…up〃
fight； to the intense admiration and excitement of all the inhabitants
of the little alley。 Every one in the place thronged to watch the
combatants； and to hear the blasphemous oaths and curses with which
the battle was accompanied。
In the midst of the affray a wizened； bent old man； who had been
sitting at his door sorting rags in a basket； and apparently taking no
heed of the clamour around him； made a sign to Liz。
〃Take the kid now；〃 he whispered。 〃Nobody'll notice。 I'll see they
don't cry arter ye。〃
Liz thanked him mutely by a look； and rushing to the house where the
child still lay； seemingly inanimate； on the floor among the soiled
clothes； she caught it up eagerly； and hurried away to her own poor
garret in a tumble…down tenement at the farthest end of the alley。 The
infant had been stunned by its fall； but under her tender care； and
rocked in the warmth of her caressing arms； it soon recovered； though
when its blue eyes opened they were full of a bewildered pain； such as
may be seen in the eyes of a shot bird。
〃My pet！ my poor little darling！〃 she murmured over and over again；
kissing its wee white face and soft hands； I wish I was your mother
Lord knows I do！ As it is； you're all I've got to care for。 And you do
love me； baby； don't you？ just a little； little bit！〃 And as she
renewed her fondling embraces； the tiny； sad…visaged creature uttered
a low； crooning sound of baby satisfaction in response to her
endearmentsa sound more sweet to her ears than the most exquisite
music； and which brought a smile to her mouth and a pathos to her dark
eyes； rendering her face for the moment almost beautiful。 Holding the
child closely to her breast； she looked cautiously out of her narrow
window； and perceived that the connubial fight was over。 From the
shouts of laughter and plaudits that reached her ears； Joe Mawks had
evidently won the day； his wife had disappeared from the field。 She
saw the little crowd dispersing； most of those who composed it entered
the gin…shop； and very soon the alley was comparatively quiet and
deserted。 By…and…bye she heard her name called in a low voice： 〃Liz！
Liz！〃
She looked down and saw the old man who had promised her his
protection in case Mother Mawks should persecute her。 〃Is that you；
Jim？ Come upstairs； it's better than talking out there。〃 He obeyed；
and stood before her in the wretched room； looking curiously both at
her and the baby。 A wiry； wolfish…faced being was Jim Duds； as he was
familiarly called； though his own name was the aristocratic and
singularly inappropriate one of James Douglas。 He was more like an
animal than a human creature； with his straggling gray hair； bushy
beard； and sharp teeth protruding like fangs from beneath his upper
lip。 His profession was that of an area thief； and he considered it a
sufficiently respectable calling。
〃Mother Mawks has got it this time；〃 he said； with a grin which was
more like a snarl。 〃Joe's blood was up； and he pounded her nigh into a
jelly。 She'll leave ye quiet now； so long as ye pay the hire reg'lar
ye'll have Joe on yer side。 If so be as there's a bad day； ye'd better
not come home at all。〃
〃I know；〃 said Liz； 〃but she's always had the money for the child； and
surely it wasn't much to ask her to let me keep it warm on such a cold
night as this。〃
Jim Duds looked meditative。 〃Wot makes yer care for that babby so
much？〃 he asked。 〃 'T ain't yourn。〃
Liz sighed。
〃No；〃 she said； sadly。 〃That's true。 But it seems something to hold on
to； like。 See what my life has been！〃 She stopped； and a wave of
colour flushed her pallid features。 〃From a little girl； nothing but
the streetsthe long； cruel streets！ and I just a bit of dirt on the
pavementno more； flung here； flung there； and at last swept into the
gutter。 All darkall useless！〃 She laughed a little。 〃Fancy； Jim！
I've