'
He gave me a quick glance out of his little, deep-set, dark-blue eyes,
and opened his heart to me. He told me, in his quaint speech, how again
and again she had taken him in and nursed him, and encouraged him, and
sent him out with a new heart for his battle, until, for very shame's
sake at his own miserable weakness, he had kept out of her way for many
months, going steadily down.
'Now, oi hain't got no grip; but when she says to me to-night, says
she, "Oh, Billy"--she calls me Billy to myself' (this with a touch of
pride)--'"oh, Billy," says she, "we must 'ave a total habstinence league
to-night, and oi want you to 'elp!" and she keeps a-lookin' at me with
those heyes o' hern till, if you believe me, sir,' lowering his voice to
an emphatic whisper, 'though oi knowed oi couldn't 'elp none, afore oi
knowed oi promised 'er oi would. It's 'er heyes. When them heyes says
"do," hup you steps and "does."'
I remembered my first look into her eyes, and I could quite understand
Billy's submission. Just as she began to sing I went over to Geordie and
took my seat beside him.
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