And you'd better look out for yourself, miss! You--" Here followed a volley of epithets which Julia received standing.

But when her mother's voice grew to a scream, Julia took the word.
"Mother, hush!" It was the first word of resistance she had ever uttered.

The agony within must have been terrible to have wrung it from her.

The mother was stunned with anger and astonishment.

She could not recover herself enough to speak until Jule had fled half-way up the stairs.