Grummit looked up, and noticed with wifely pleasure that he was looking almost cheerful. "He's given me a tip," said Mr. Grummit, with a faint smile; "a copper mustn't come into a free-born Englishman's 'ouse unless he's invited." "Wot of it?" inquired his wife. "You wasn't think of asking him in, was you?" Mr. Grummit regarded her almost play-fully.

"And we're trying to shut our eyes to your goings on," retorted Nugent. Mrs. Kybird stopped and, with a half-turn, play-fully reached for him with her umbrella. The exertion and the joke combined took the remnant of her breath away, and she stood still, panting. "You had better take Hardy's arm, I think," said Nugent, with affected solicitude. "It's my breath," explained Mrs.

"And we're trying to shut our eyes to your goings on," retorted Nugent. Mrs. Kybird stopped and, with a half-turn, play-fully reached for him with her umbrella. The exertion and the joke combined took the remnant of her breath away, and she stood still, panting. "You had better take Hardy's arm, I think," said Nugent, with affected solicitude. "It's my breath," explained Mrs.