"Not yet, my pretty," her mother answered. "It's only nothing you can understand. Now help me get the tea."
Next day brought a lawyer's letter giving her notice to quit.
That evening Ruth took the letter up to the Manor-house.
The maid told her Mr. and Mrs. Trupp had just started off to a meeting at the Town Hall.
"Something to do with the women and children, I believe," she added. "Prince o Wales's Fund or something."
Ruth turned down the steps disconsolate.
Just then she saw Joe Burt getting off the motor-bus opposite the Star. She had not seen him since he had come up on the evening of Ern's departure to give her the latest news of her husband. Now he came striding towards her, blowing into her life with the vigour of Kingsley's wild Nor'-easter. At the moment the politician was on top—she noted it with thankful heart.
"Coom on, ma lass!" he said. "You're the very one I'm after. We want you. We want em all. You got to coom along o me to this meeting."
"But I aren't got my hat, Joe!" pleaded Ruth, amused yet deprecating.
The engineer would take no excuses.