Moreover, he now went to all Mr.
Wharton's meetings that were held within reasonable distance of Mellor; and, as she said to Aldous with a little laugh, which, however, was not unsweet, _he_ had found her man work--_she_ had robbed his candidate of a vote.
Wharton listened a while to her talk with Minta, smiled a little, unperceived of Marcella, at the young mother's docilities of manner and phrase; then turned his attention to the little hunched and coughing object by the fire.
"Are you very bad, little man ?" The white-faced child looked up, a dreary look, revealing a patient, melancholy soul.

He tried to answer, but coughed instead.
Wharton, moving towards him, saw a bit of ragged white paper lying on the ground, which had been torn from a grocery parcel.
"Would you like something to amuse you a bit--Ugh! this smoke! Come round here, it won't catch us so much.

_Now_, then, what do you say to a doggie,--two doggies ?" The child stared, let himself be lifted on the stranger's knee, and did his very utmost to stop coughing.

But when he had succeeded his quick panting breaths still shook his tiny frame and Wharton's knee.
"Hm--Give him two months or thereabouts!" thought Wharton.

"What a beastly hole!--one room up, and one down, like the other, only a shade larger.