Ernie was breathing hard.
"Who split?"
"Alf. He told Mrs. Ticehurst—I see him; and she told the lot."
Ern went out slowly, and slowly up the stairs in the dark to the children's room.
A little voice called—"Daddy!"
"I'm comin, sweet-heart," he answered tenderly.
He felt his way to the child's bed, knelt beside it, and struck a match. A tear like a star twinkled on her cheek. She put out her little arms to him and clasped him round the neck.
"Daddy, you are my daddy, aren't you?" she sobbed, her heart breaking in her voice.
He laid his cheek against hers. Both were wet.
"Of course I am," he answered, the water floods sounding in his throat. "I'm your daddy; and you're my darling. And if we got nobody else we got each other, ain't we?"