"Oh, if I could only throw the whole business up."
"Wish to goodness we COULD. But the monthly cheque will be useful to-morrow, mater."
"That's it! That's it!" cried the unhappy woman.
"No one seems particularly anxious to snatch at MY services as yet," said Alaric. "Course it's a dull time, Jerry tells me. But there we are. Not tuppence comin' in and the butcher's to be paid—likewise the other mouth-fillers. See where I'm comin'?"
"Have I not lain awake at night struggling with it?" replied the poor lady, almost on the verge of tears.
"Well, I'll tell you what," said the hope of the family; "I'll tell you what we'll do. Let's give the little beggar another month of it. Let her off lightly THIS time, and the moment the lawyer-bird's gone, read her the riot-act. Pull her up with a jerk. Ride her on the curb and NO ROT!"
"We could try," and Mrs. Chichester wiped her eyes: "Of course she HAS improved in her manner. For THAT we have to thank Ethel." She looked affectionately at her daughter and choked back a sob. "Who could live near dear Ethel and NOT improve?"
"Ah! There we have it!" agreed Alaric.
"But I don't know how much of the improvement is genuine and how much pretended," gasped his mother.
"There we go again. She's got us fairly gravelled," said Alaric despondently.