Meanwhile, Johnnie had again moved nearer to Cis. Now was his chance to get away in his uniform and change into his old clothes; to gather up his old, big shirt and trousers from where they lay on the morris chair, unbolt the door, and make for that flight of stairs leading up to the roof. But--he did not even think of going, of leaving her when she needed him so. He wanted to help her, to comfort. "Oh, Cis!" he whispered again. She seemed not to hear him, and she did not turn her burning eyes his way. Breathing hard, and sobbing with anger under her breath, she stared at Barber. Her lip was swelling. Her face was crimson from her fight. Drops of perspiration glistened on her forehead. Barber's underlip was thrust out as he came back to her. "Y' ain't got the decency t' be quiet!" he charged, "in front o' that poor old man!" Now she had breath to answer. She straightened in her chair, and met him with a boldness odd when coming from her. "Grandpa isn't the only person in this flat to be considered," she returned. "Jus' the same"--Big Tom shook a finger in her face--"he's the _first_ one that's goin' t' be considered!" "Johnnie and I have _our_ rights!" she cried. As she spoke his name, Johnnie's heart leaped so that it choked him--with gratitude, and love, and admiration. "Never mind y'r rights!" the longshoreman counseled. "I begin t' see through you! Y're a little sneak, that's what y' are! Look at the crazy way y're actin', and I thought y' was a quiet girl! Y' been pretty cute about hidin' what y're up to!" "Hiding!" she answered, resentful. "What do I have to hide from _you_? What I do is none of _your_ business! I'm not a relation of yours! and I'm seventeen! And from now on----" "Oh, drop that!" interrupted Barber. "Y' waste y'r breath!" Then with another shake of the finger, "What I want t' know--and the truth, mind y'!--is how long has this been goin' on?" He leaned on the table to peer into her eyes. Going on? Johnnie's look darted from one to the other. Had Cis been staying away from the factory? Had she been taking some of her earnings to see a moving-picture? or---- "I don't have to tell you!" Cis declared. "I'm the man that feeds y'!" Barber reminded. "Jus' remember _that_!" "You've taken my earnings," she returned. "You've taken every cent I've ever got for my work! And don't you forget _that_!" "Ev'ry girl brings home her wages," answered the longshoreman. "And don't y' forgit that I fed y' many a year before y' was _able_ t' work----" "While my mother was living, she earned my food!" Cis cried. "And _I've_ worked, just as Johnnie has, ever since I was a baby!" "Have y'? Bosh! Y' been a big expense t' me, that's what y' been, for all these past ten years! And now, jus' when y're old enough t' begin payin' me back a little, here y' go t' actin' up! Well, you was left in my hands. I'm only stepfather to y'. All right. But I'm goin' t' see that y' behave y'rself."