. . .Mrs Moseley had recommended her for the baby, and sat opposite to him burning with pain and indignation.

‘I wish you’d give it up, Abner,’ she said.  ‘One of these days you’ll get killed.  It’s downright brutal.  It’s worse than prize-fighting.’

‘That’s what it was,’ Abner chuckled.

He pretended that he didn’t want her to fuss over him; but all the same this devotion was very pleasant.  As for Alice, the pain of seeing him so battered was almost equalled by her pleasure in tending him.  And they were alone.  She was thankful that they were alone.  Time after time she returned to her pleading that he would give up football.  ‘You’ve never come home in a state like this,’ she said.

‘Give up football?’ said Abner.  ‘And what would we live on then?  You couldn’t manage, and that’s straight!̵. . . Read More