Part 21 (1/2)

”Was it so bad, Jem? I never saw you take on like that before.”

”_Bad?_” echoed Jem. ”Why, mother, if any one'd 'a told me about it I wouldn't ha' given it credit.

”I went out last night more to pacify Meg than because I thought as I could do any good. The streets was mighty dark, 'cause ye know it was wet, and when I got to the door, I thought I'd got the right 'un, but I couldn't be sure. But when I pushed it open and listened, I could hear the crying, and up I went to the very top, as quiet as I could, wondering what on earth I could give as a excuse for bein' there if any one interfered with me.

”n.o.body did. They was all settled in to bed, that is, those as had 'em.

Leastways they was settled to sleep. As I got near the top there was a bit of light out of the door, and when I got to the landin' I just paused and took a look in.

”There was a man sittin' over a bit of fire, sulky like; and there was a woman bustlin' about gettin' somethin'; and there was Cherry holdin'

d.i.c.kie, and cryin' as if her heart would break. And while I looks the woman comes to her, and drags d.i.c.kie away, and when Cherry tries to hold her off from him, she lays it on to her with a stick till poor little Cherry lets go at last. Then the woman seizes d.i.c.kie again, and begins to tie somethin' on his eyes, and he fights and screams with all his little might.

”'Take it away,' he moans, 'I s'an't have it. Take me away from 'em, Cherry! Cherry, take it off!'

”Oh, how his screams rings in my ears now. I could ha' rushed in and knocked her down, that I could; but I'm glad I didn't interfere then, for I should ha' lost the little 'un if I had. They'd ha' made off with him fast enough.

”So I was just turnin' away on the dark stairs when the woman came towards the door. I stood back behind it as flat as I could, and she brushed past without seein' me.

”The moment she was gone I could see Cherry creep towards her little brother and lift the bandage. 'You'll get hit agin,' said the sulky man in a low voice; 'there's nothing but the p'lice, Cherry. I wish some 'un would give 'em a wink. I'm goin' down to bed.'

”He shuffled off to one of the lower rooms, and pa.s.sed me as the woman had done without seeing me. Fearin' I should be questioned, and not makin' up my mind whether to let the poor little things know as I was there, I came out to collect my thoughts. The man had given me a hint.

What if I should go in and rescue the children with the knowledge of the p'lice?

”I hastened down-stairs and reached the air without meetin' any one.

Then I came home to you and Meg; but when I saw our own little 'un lyin'

there so still and sweet, and knew that he, anyways, could never know those cruel blows, it wholly overcame me. And you know the rest, mother.”

”I don't know how you got 'em, Jem, at last?”

”No more you do. Well, when Meg said as they was to come home here, I rushed out; and the first p'liceman I found I tells him the story.

”He didn't half believe me, but I says to him, 'You come up and stand outside the door, and if I can't persuade 'em, I'll call you. I don't want to have a row if I can get the children peaceable.'

”'Ain't they got no one belongin' to 'em?' he says, as we got to the door.

”'Their mother's dead and their father drinks; he might be anywhere,' I says to him.

”'I'll tell you where _he_ is, then,' he says, 'if this is the house.

He's dyin' in the hospital, he is. He was run over this mornin'.'

”'Is _that_ their father?' says I; and, mother, if you'll believe me, I felt all at once as if they ought to belong to me, since I'd been saved, and this man of my name had been took.

”So we went up, and when we come to the door she'd begun beatin' of Cherry again.

”'Stop that!' I says, goin' in quick, and she looked as if she'd been shot. 'And now I've come to fetch these 'ere little 'uns away. I've seen yer cruelty to 'em, and if you make a fuss I'll expose you, as sure as my name's Jem Seymour.'

”With that she stares at me hard, and I go to d.i.c.kie and untie his eyes once more. They was terrible bad by this time, and he only cried more than ever at the light, and ran to Cherry.