Part 47 (1/2)

”I'm going now,” said Mr Brough in answer, and then when Keziah accompanied him down to the door, ”Do not leave her for an instant, if you love the poor child; and, look here, Keziah, the wedding must take place, and it is for her good--_mark me_, for her good. I love her too well to make her unhappy, and if you do your duty you will help me all you can.”

Keziah closed the door without a word, and a minute after she was kneeling beside and crying over the heartbroken girl.

STORY FIVE, CHAPTER SIX.

HARD-HEARTED.

Time glided on.

”You've come again, then?” said Keziah Bay.

”Yes, I've come again,” said Mr Peter Pash. ”Trade's very brisk, Keziah.”

”Is it?” said that lady, in the most indifferent of tones.

”Yes, things are looking up well,” said Mr Pash, ”and my lodger has dropped dips and taken to composites. You know what that means, of course.”

”Not I,” said Keziah indifferently. ”I don't trouble my head about such things.”

”You're always a-snubbing me, Keziah,” said the little man dolefully.

”It's no good for me to try and please you.”

”Not a bit,” said Keziah with a smile. ”You ought to know better than to come wherrittin' me when there's so much trouble in the house.”

”But it ain't our trouble,” said Peter Pash. ”Why, if I was to make myself unhappy about other folks' candles, where should I be? Now, I say, Keziah dear, when's it to be?”

”Once for all, I tell you,” said Keziah, ”that until I see poor Miss May happily settled, I won't bother about that nonsense; so you may hold your tongue, for I can see what you mean.”

Peter Pash gave a great groan of despair, but the next minute he was patiently submitting to a severe cross-examination concerning the habits and customs of his lodger Frank Marr.

”He's no good, Peter,” said Keziah at last, ”and the sooner you get rid of him the better.”

”But he pays his rent very regular,” said Peter, ”and that's a consideration, you know. And he's a good son, and pays no end of attention to his mother. And I say, Keziah, dear, I've seen Mr Brough, and I ain't a bit jealous now.”

Keziah snorted.

”He's been to my place twice to see Mr Marr, and they're the best of friends, and he tells me it was only his fun, and Mr Marr don't seem to mind a bit. And I say, Keziah dear, now that Miss May is really going to get married and settled, sha'n't we make it right now?”

”Now I tell you what it is, young man,” said Keziah fiercely, ”I hate the very name of marrying, and if you say another word to me about it I'll never have you at all. When I want to be married I'll ask you, and not before, so now be off.”

”But will you want to some day?” said Peter pitifully.

”Perhaps I shall, and perhaps I sha'n't; I'm seeing enough of it to satisfy me, so I tell you.”

Peter groaned.

”Now don't make that noise here,” cried Keziah snappishly. ”If you can't behave yourself, you'd better go.”