"But of course,
you were out of the way. Where had you got to?"
"Anywhere, nowhere," replied Jessica, who did not fear him when he was
sober, though she hated him always.
"Ah, that's the style! The swell lady ought to have heard you talk like
that. She'd say I was bringing you up well. Come here and let's have a
look at you."
Jessica did not move, but stared at him steadily.
"What! You won't come?" he said with a grin. "Well, there's something
for your obstinacy, you little mule!"
He flung a half-crown across to her, and Jessica took it up, then looked
him questioningly in the face.
"You're thinking I'm mighty generous, eh? So I am, my girl--foolishly
generous." He laughed mockingly, "Well, what do you say if all the lot's
for you, eh?"
"All for me!" repeated the girl, stopping short in her task of making
the mantelshelf neat; "all for me!"
"Yes, when you get it, little cat! All for you, indeed! No! it's for me;
and I've a good mind to take the half-crown back. A fool and his money's
soon parted; but he's more idiotic to part with other people's. I'm
going out. I shall want some grub when I get back--'arf a pound of
steak, an' a pot of porter, an' don't forget the gin.
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