“Don’t take no notice of ’er, Charlie,” ses Mrs. Jennings.

“I—­I don’t mind wot she ses,” ses pore Charlie; “but you’re making a great——­”

“She’s quick-tempered, is Emma,” ses Mrs. Jennings.  “But, there, so am I. Wot you might call a generous temper, but quick.”

Charlie went cold all over.

“Treat me well and I treat other people well,” ses Mrs. Jennings.  “I can’t say fairer than that, can I?”

Charlie said “Nobody could,” and then ’e walked along with her hanging on to ’is arm, arf wondering whether it would be wrong to shove ’er under a bus that was passing, and arf wondering whether ’e could do it if it wasn’t.

“As for Emma saying she won’t ’ave you for a lodger,” ses Mrs. Jennings, “let ’er wait till she’s asked.  She’ll wait a long time if I ’ave my say.”

Charlie didn’t answer her.  He walked along with ’is mouth shut, his idea being that the least said the soonest mended.  Even Emma asked ’im at last whether he ’ad lost ’is tongue, and said it was curious ’ow different love took different people.

He talked fast enough going ’ome with Ted though, and pretty near lost ’is temper with ’im when Ted asked ’im why he didn’t tell Mrs. Jennings straight that she ’ad made a mistake.

“She knows well enough,” he says, grinding ’is teeth; “she was just trying it on.  That’s ’ow it is widders get married agin.  You’ll ’ave to choose between going out with me or Emma, Ted.  I can’t face Mrs. Jennings again.  I didn’t think anybody could ’ave parted us like that.”

Ted said it was all nonsense, but it was no good, and the next night he went off alone and came back very cross, saying that Mrs. Jennings ’ad been with ’em all the time, and when ’e spoke to Emma about it she said it was just tit for tat, and reminded ’im ’ow she had ’ad to put up with Charlie.  For four nights running ’e went out for walks, with Emma holding one of ’is arms and Mrs. Jennings the other.

“It’s miserable for you all alone ’ere by yourself; Charlie,” he ses.  “Why not come?  She can’t marry you against your will.  Besides, I miss you.”

Charlie shook ’ands with ’im, but ’e said ’e wouldn’t walk out with Mrs. Jennings for a fortune.  And all that Ted could say made no difference.  He stayed indoors of an evening reading the paper, or going for little walks by ’imseif, until at last Ted came ’ome one evening, smiling all over his face, and told ’im they had both been making fools of themselves for nothing.

“Mrs. Jennings is going to be married,” he ses, clapping Charlie on the back.

“Wot?” ses Charlie.

Ted nodded.  “Her and Emma ’ad words to-night,” he ses, laughing, “and it all come out.  She’s been keeping company for some time.  He’s away at present, and they’re going to be married as soon as ’e comes back.”

“Well,” ses Charlie, “why did she——­”

“To oblige Emma,” ses Ted, “to frighten you into staying at ’ome.  I’d ’ad my suspicions for some time, from one or two things I picked up.”