Transcriber's note: Unusual and inconsistent spelling is as printed. The Seed She Sowed A Tale of the Great Dock Strike BY EMMA LESLIE Author of "Arthur's Inheritance," "Gytha's Message," "A Gypsy Against Her Will," &c. _ILLUSTRATED_ BLACKIE AND SON LIMITED LONDON, GLASGOW, AND BOMBAY CONTENTS. ————— CHAP. I. WINNY CHAPLIN'S HOME II. NEW WORK III. THE NEIGHBOURS IV. WHAT PASSION DID V. WINNY'S SACRIFICE VI. ONE WINDY MORNING VII. THE STRIKE VIII. CONCLUSION THE SEED SHE SOWED. [Illustration] CHAPTER I. WINNY CHAPLIN'S HOME. "FATHER won't be long now, and as he didn't get any work yesterday, he's sure to to-day. He allus does, I've noticed," and the speaker, a pretty little girl of ten, carefully dropped a few cinders on the fire as she spoke, that the room might look bright and cheerful for her father when he came in from his work at the docks. "Are you very hungry, Letty?" asked a voice from the corner. The girl sitting in the glow of the firelight turned towards the shadowed corner where her sister lay on a home-made couch of boxes and asked: "Will you want some more medicine, do you think?" "I'm afraid so; I haven't had any for a week, and my back is getting bad again. But we won't say anything about it till we see how much father gets to-day. Mother is sure to get eighteen pence for her washing at Mrs. Rutter's, so she might be able to spare sixpence for a bottle of medicine if father got a day's work too." "He wouldn't get a whole day—why, he hasn't had a whole day's work for a long time! But he might get a shilling or perhaps a little more, and then I should think you might have the medicine. I'll go and have a look up the street and see if he is coming, for I know you want your tea badly by this time. I had my dinner at the mission-hall, so I'm not so hungry as you are." And as she spoke she opened the door, letting out a glow of ruddy firelight that drew another girl to the doorway. "How are you to-day, Winny?" she said thrusting her head in and looking round the room. "How jolly you always look in here!" she added surveying the little room, that did have an air of comfort about it in spite of its shabby furniture, which looked quite rich and luxurious in the glow of the firelight.