'Why, I hoped you were getting much better by now,' said Sidney.

Mrs. Hewett told him that she had been to the hospital on Saturday,
and seemed to have caught cold. A common enough occurrence; hours of
waiting in an out-patients' room frequently do more harm than the
doctor's advice can remedy. She explained that Mrs. Peckover had
requested the use of the other room.

'There's too many of us to be livin' an' sleepin' in this Little
place,' she said; 'but, after all, it's a savin' of rent. It's a
good thing Clara isn't here. An' you've heard as John's got work?'

He had found a job at length with a cabinet-maker; tonight he would
probably be working till ten or eleven o'clock. Good news so far.
Then Mrs. Hewett began to speak with curiosity of the old man who
claimed Jane as his grandchild. Sidney told her what had just
happened.

'An' what did you say about the girl?' she asked anxiously.

'I said as little as I could; I thought it wisest. Do you know what
made her ill?'

'It was that Clem as did it,' Mrs. Hewett replied, subduing her
voice, And she related what had befallen after Sidney's last visit.
'Mrs. Peckover, she's that afraid the truth should get out. Of
course I don't want to make no bother, but I do feel that glad the
poor thing's got somebody to look after her at last. I never told
you half the things as used to go on. That Clem's no better than a