And then, what a merry walk they had to the car! and that being nearly full, they had to wait for the next one, which luckily had only three passengers; and Mr. King and his party clambered on, to ride down through the poor quarters of the town, to the Corcoran house.
“Oh, misery me!” exclaimed Alexia, looking out at the tumble-down tenements, and garbage heaps up to the very doors. “Where are we going?”
“Did you suppose Jim Corcoran lived in a palace?” asked Pickering lazily.
“Well, I didn't suppose anybody lived like that,” said Alexia, wrinkling up her nose in scorn. “Dear me, look at all those children!”
“Interesting, aren't they?” said Pickering, with a pang for the swarm of ragged, dirty little creatures, but not showing it in the least on his impassive face.
“Oh, I don't want to see it,” exclaimed Alexia, “and I'm not going to either,” turning her back on it all.
“It goes on just the same,” said Pickering.
“Then I am going to look.” Alexia whirled around again, and gazed up and down the ugly thoroughfare, taking it all in.
“Ugh, how can you!” exclaimed Silvia Horne, in disgust. “I think it's very disagreeable to even know that such people live.”
“Perhaps 'twould be better to kill 'em off,” said Tom Beresford bluntly.