CHAPTER XVII
The 'Open Air'
Ever since Owen had been engaged in the decoration of the drawing room, he had forgotten he was ill; he had forgotten that when 'The Cave' was finished he would have to stand off with the rest of the hands; in fact he had forgotten that, like them, he was on the brink of destitution and that a few weeks out of work or illness meant starvation.
As he walked homewards after being paid, a feeling of unutterable depression came over him and he began to think of his future. Even supposing he did not lose his employment, what was there to live for? He had been working with hand and brain all the week. These few coins he held were the result, and he laughed bitterly as he thought of all he must do with the money, and all he must leave undone.
That evening Frankie accompanied him to do the shopping as Nora was not well, and first of all the boy, remembering his pet, went to the butcher's to buy a pennyworth of cat's meat, while Owen went to the grocer's, arranging to meet Frankie at the corner of the street.
Owen was at the appointed place first and after waiting some time and seeing no sign of the boy decided to go towards the butcher's to meet him. When he came in sight of the shop he saw the boy standing outside in earnest conversation with the butcher, a jolly looking, stoutly built man, with a very red face. Owen perceived at once that the child was trying to explain something, because Frankie had a habit of holding his head sideways and supplementing his speech by spreading out his fingers and making quaint gestures with his hands whenever he found it difficult to make himself understood. The boy was doing this now, waving one hand about with the fingers and thumb extended wide, and with the other flourishing a paper parcel which evidently contained the pieces of meat. Presently the man laughed heartily and
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