IV
In after years, Tilly would volunteer in self-defence: “Upon my soul, I never MEANT to blurt it out like that. I was going to prepare ’em . . . break it gently, and so on. But when I saw those two chits standing there clutching that bit of rag — well, I don’t know, but if you ask me, I think it was this what got me. Anyhow, there it was: I started to cry, and it just jumped out. But I’ve often thought since, it was probably best so after all. They had to know. And the sooner the better. Besides, it’s not my way to go beating about the bush. — Never shall I forget though, how that child BLUSHED!”
For, as the hard, cruel words came flying at him, like so many stones, all the blood in his body seemed to rush to Cuffy’s face and stop there, scorching and burning. He forgot everything else
