"Since I, for one, never heard that she was in want"--again the teacher--"how can I tell what I should have done? It's like this, Mr. Haveril--you must know it yourself. It isn't respectable to have cousins ragged and in want. If I could afford it, I would give them money to go away. Look at that Object"--she pointed to the bankrupt. "Object, I call him." "Object yourself!" retorted the broken one. "Is he a credit to the family? No; I've got no money to spare, or I'd pay him to go right away. Same with Cousin Alice. Don't talk to us about cousinly love. We like respectability." "Very good," said John Haveril. "Cousin Alice has brought you a lot of relations," Alma continued, emboldened. "Here we are, fawning, like Cousin Charles; begging, like Cousin Alfred; and telling you the truth, like me." "One, sir, one at least"--this was, of course, the draper--"has ever been ready to acknowledge the tie of blood." "I'm sure," said the pew-opener, "if Alice had come to my humble place, which she never did----" "Never," her daughter added. "--there'd have been a cup of tea made in no time, and a chair by the fire." "You have among you"--John Haveril pointed to the bankrupt--"a cousin who is poor and distressed. What have you done for him? Which of you has helped this unfortunate man?" "Not one," the unfortunate replied for all; while Charles regarded his fallen relation vindictively. "Not one," the bankrupt continued. "And now your guilty hearts are exposed and your greedy natures brought to light. Grabbers and grubbers--every one. And this to me--to me--Mr. Haveril, the only gentleman of the lot! What do they care about gentlemen?" "You ask me, all of you, to help you with gifts or loans of money. On what pretence? Because I am your cousin's husband----" "Cousin-John-by-marriage," said the pew-opener. "You took us over as your own when you married Alice. You married into the family. That you can't deny." "If that is the reason why I am to help you, why don't you help this cousin?" "Hear! hear!" from the cousin indicated. "He is in the last stage of poverty and misery." "Because it serves him right." The draper once more stepped forward, while the rest of the family murmured assent. "Outside," said John, "it is raining, with a cold wind; he has no great-coat,--nothing but a thin jacket; the soles of his boots are parting----" "Help him? He's always been a disgrace to the family," said the pew-opener. "You ask me, however, to help you, and you offer no reference as to character." "Reference? What reference do you want?" asked the Board school teacher. "Haven't I got a responsible situation? Isn't mother in a responsible situation? Mr. Haveril, I wouldn't talk about this poor ragamuffin, if I were you. It's beneath you. Give him a great-coat yourself, and in ten minutes it will be five shillings, and in an hour it will be drunk. Help him? I wouldn't help Cousin Alfred if I had hundreds--nor Cousin Charles if I had millions."