Tom looked daggers. "I told you so."
"What is it, my good girl. Tell me all about it."
"My mother bid me go out with her this evening, both of us dressed in our best. She said she had an offer for me, and was going to meet the man in Duane street.
"'What does the man want of me, mother?' said I.
"'Oh, he will make a fine lady of you, and you will live with him.'
"'But I don't want to live with him; I had rather live with Mr. Pease, at "the Home." I had rather live where Tom is, for Tom is good to me.'"
Young love's first happy dream!
"But we went on, and I held my head down, and felt very bad. By-and-by I heard my mother say,'Here she is,' and I looked up a little, and saw two gentlemen—that is, they were clothed like gentlemen—and directly one spoke to the other.
"'I say, Jim, she will do; give the old woman the money, and let us take her up to Kate's.'
"Mercy on me, that voice! I felt that sore spot in my breast grow more and more painful. I looked up; it was the man who kicked me; the other was the man who put the tobacco in my mouth."