ma, for she 's got to come across it anyhow."

"What you know about it? Whaih you been to?"

"I 've been out huntin' work. I 've been to Jones's bahbah shop an' to
the Continental Hotel." His light-brown face turned brick red with anger
and shame at the memory of it. "I don't think I 'll try any more."

Kitty was gazing with wide and saddening eyes at her mother.

"Were they mean to you too, ma?" she asked breathlessly.

"Mean? Oh Kitty! Kitty! you don't know what it was like. It nigh killed
me. Thaih was plenty of houses an' owned by people I 've knowed fu'
yeahs, but not one of 'em wanted to rent to me. Some of 'em made excuses
'bout one thing er t' other, but de res' come right straight out an'
said dat we 'd give a neighbourhood a bad name ef we moved into it. I
've almos' tramped my laigs off. I 've tried every decent place I could
think of, but nobody wants us."

The girl was standing with her hands clenched nervously before her. It
was almost more than she could understand.

"Why, we ain't done anything," she said. "Even if they don't know any
better than to believe that pa was guilty, they know we ain't done
anything."

"I 'd like to cut the heart out of a few of 'em," said Joe in his
throat.