‘Yes; and I’m always thankful, if you like, when Monday comes.’

Gladys looked at him in wonder.

’You are glad when Monday comes, to come back here?  How strange!—­and the other place is home.  Have you a father and mother?’

‘Yes, worse luck.’

Again Gladys looked at him, this time with strong disapproval.

’I don’t understand you.  It is very dreadful, I think, that you should talk like that.’

’Is it?  Perhaps if you were me, and had it to do, you’d understand it.  I wish I was an orphan.  When a man’s an orphan he may get on, but he never can if he has relations like mine.’

‘Are they—­are they wicked?’ asked Gladys hesitatingly.

The lad answered by a short, bitter laugh.

’Well, perhaps not exactly.  They only drink and quarrel, and drink again, whenever they have a copper.  Saturday and Sunday are their head days, because Saturday’s the pay.  But I’m better off than Liz, because she has to be there always.’

‘Is Liz your sister?’

’Yes.  She isn’t a bad sort, if she had a chance, but she never will have a chance there; an’ perhaps by the time I’m able to take care of her it will be too late.’

Gladys did not understand him, but forbore to ask any more questions.  She had got something fresh to ponder over, another of the many mysteries of life.

‘I say, he’s a queer old buffer, the boss, isn’t he?’ asked Walter, his eye twinkling again as he jerked his thumb towards the door.  ’They say he’s awful rich, but he’s a miserable old wretch.  I’d rather be myself than him any day.’

‘I should think so,’ answered Gladys, looking into the fine open face of the lad with a smile, which made him redden a little.

’I say, you might tell me why you think I’m so much better off than him.  I sometimes think myself that I’m the most miserable wretch in the world.’

’Oh no, you’re not; you are quite young, and you are a man—­at least, you will be soon.  If I were you I should never think that, nor be afraid of anything.  It isn’t very nice to be a girl like me; with you it is so different.’

’Well, perhaps I ought to be thankful that I’m not a woman.  I never thought of that.  Women have the worst of it mostly, now I think of it.  I’m sorry for you.’

‘Thank you.’

Gladys looked at him gratefully, and both these young desolate hearts, awaking to the possibilities and the sorrows of life, felt the chord of sympathy responding each to the other.

’He gives me five shillings a week here and my meat.  They take it all at home, and I want so awful to go to the night school.  Do you know, it takes me all my time to read words of three or four letters?’

‘Oh, how dreadful!  I can read; I’ll teach you,’ she cried at once.  ‘Perhaps it would do till you can go to school.’

‘Could you?  Would you?’