The Real Charlotte. 9 



ing of now. God knows the cats are safe with you. But 

 Httle Francie, Charlotte ; we ought to have done more for 

 her. You promised me that if you got the money you'd 

 look after her. Didn't you now, Charlotte? I wish I'd 

 done more for her. She's a good little thing — a good little 

 thing — " she repeated dreamily. 



Few people would think it worth their while to dispute 

 the wandering futilities of an old dying woman, but even at 

 this eleventh hour Charlotte could not brook the revolt of a 

 slave. 



''Good little thing ! " she exclaimed^ pushing the brandy 

 bottle noisily in among a crowd of glasses and medicine 

 bottles, " a strapping big woman of nineteen ! You didn't 

 think her so good the time you had her here, and she put 

 Susan's father and mother in the well ! " 



The old lady did not seem to understand what she had 

 said. 



" Susan, Susan ! " she called quaveringly, and feebly 

 patted the crochet quilt. 



As if in answer, a hand fumbled at the door and opened 

 it softly. Norry was standing there, tall and gaunt, holding 

 in her apron, with both hands, something that looked like 

 an enormous football. 



*' Miss Charlotte ! " she whispered hoarsely, " here's Susan 

 for ye. He was out in the ashpit, an' I was hard set to get 

 him, he was that wild." 



Even as she spoke there was a furious struggle in the 

 blue apron. 



"God in Heaven! ye fool!" ejaculated Charlotte. 

 " Don't let him go ! " She shut the door behind Norry. 

 " Now, give him to me." 



Norry opened her apron cautiously, and Miss Charlotte 

 lifted out of it a large grey tom-cat. 



" Be quiet, my heart's love," she said, " be quiet." 



The cat stopped kicking and writhing, and, sprawling up 

 on to the shoulder of the magenta dressing-gown, turned a 

 fierce grey face upon his late captor. Norry crept over to 

 the bed, and put back the dirty chintz curtain that had been 

 drawn forward to keep out the draught of the door. Mrs. 

 Mullen was lying very still ; she had drawn her knees up in 

 front of her, and the bedclothes hung sharply from the small 



