"
"The man won't lose anything. He'll pass it off again."
"Somebody'll have to lose it by and by," said Ida, whose truthful
perceptions saw through the woman's sophistry.
"So you've taken up preaching, have you?" said Peg, sneeringly.
"Maybe you know better than I what is proper to do. It won't do to
be so mighty particular, and so you'll find out if you live with me
long."
"Where did you take the dollar?" asked Ida, with a sudden thought;
"and how is it that you have so many of them?"
"None of your business," said her companion, roughly. "You shouldn't
pry into the affairs of other people."
"Are you going to do as I told you?" she demanded, after a moment's
pause.
"I can't," said Ida, pale but resolute.
"You can't," repeated Peg, furiously. "Didn't you promise to do
whatever I told you?"
"Except what was wicked," interrupted Ida.
"And what business have you to decide what is wicked? Come home with
me."
Peg, walked in sullen silence, occasionally turning round to scowl
upon the unfortunate child, who had been strong enough, in her
determination to do right, to resist successfully the will of the
woman whom she had every reason to dread.
Arrived at home, Peg walked Ida into the room by the shoulder.
Dick was lounging in a chair, with the inevitable pipe in his mouth.
"Hilloa!" said he, lazily, observing his wife's movements, "what's
the gal been doing, hey?"
"What's she been doing?" repeated Peg; "I should like to know what
she hasn't been doing.
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