In the evening Rosemary Lane was exceedingly animated. There was more light in the Royal George than in all the private houses within a radius of five hundred yards. This particular gin palace was a grand stone building, abounding in bright glass and gilt cornices, and it was situated within a short distance of the residence of Mr. Richard Chester, who for a sufficient reason, was not at the present moment one of the throng there assembled. He was at home, beating his wife, who happened to be possessed of fifteen pence. He employed all his arts to wheedle the money out of his wife; but she was firm and would not be wheedled. He even rehearsed a speech on liberty, which he was burning to deliver at the Royal George. It had no more effect upon her than if she had been a dummy woman. Mr. Chester took a strap into his hand and drew it between his palms. Mrs. Chester held her breath, and bit her lips. "I must have it, old woman," he said, in a musing tone. "Liberty soars upon heavenly wings, and cries for----" "Gin!" interrupted Mrs. Chester, with scornful emphasis. He flourished his strap, and brought it down upon her shoulders. The stroke was neither savage nor vindictive, and seemed to be administered more in sorrow than in anger. Yet she cried, "O Dick!" "Come," he said, persuasively, "the money." "You may beat me black and blue," she replied "but you'll get no money out of me to-night." "Won't I!" exclaimed the tipsy humourist, as he flourished his strap, and brought it down again. "Take that, and that, and that!" His wife took that, and that, and that, meekly, so far as her outward manner denoted. She was really not hurt much, for his blows were light; but the tears gathered in her eyes, as she asked: "Do you know why, if you killed me I would not give you the money?" "Because you're an obstinate woman," he replied, with hand upraised. "Because I want it for medicine, for Sally." At this point the door of the room opened, and two persons appeared--a man, certainly wide awake and a very little girl, certainly almost fast asleep, holding on to the skirts of his coat. No sooner did the man pause on the right side of the door, than the child converted "almost" into "quite." With a bit of his coat tightly clasped in her little hand, she closed her eyes and went to sleep, using his leg as a resting place for her head. The one candle which lighted the room showed dimly the form of the man but the child, being exceedingly small, was hidden from the Chesters in the shadows which lay upon the floor. The intruder, at a glance, recognised the position of affairs. "Don't mind me," he said with a coarse laugh, "this is a free country." "What do you want here?" demanded Mr. Chester angrily. "You've got a bedroom to let; I made out the bill in the window----" "All right, just you wait a bit." He turned to his wife. "What's the matter with Sally?"