ourweresilent.ThenslowlyshefeltTom'sarmstealroundherwaist,cautiously,asthoughitwereafraidofbeingtherethistimebothsheandTomwerehappy.Butsuddenlytherewasamovementontheothersideofher,ahandwasadvancedalongherleg,andherhandwasgraspedandgentlypressed.ItwasJimBlakeston.ShestartedalittleandbegantremblingsothatTomnoticedit,andwhispered:
'You'recold,Liza.'
'Na,I'mnot,Tomit'sonlyasortofshiverthetwentthroughme.'
Hisarmgaveherwaistasqueeze,andatthesametimethebigroughhandpressedherlittleone.Andsoshesatbetweenthemtilltheyreachedthe'RedLion'intheWestminsterBridgeRoad,andTomsaidtohimself:'Ibelieveshedoescareformeafterall.'
Whentheygotdowntheyallsaidgoodnight,andSallyandLiza,withtheirrespectiveslavesandtheBlakestons,marchedoffhomewards.AtthecornerofVereStreetHarrysaidtoTomandBlakeston:
'Isay,youblokes,let'sgoan''aveanotherdrinkbeforeclosin'time.'
'Idon'tmind,'saidTom,'afterwe'vetookthegals'ome.'
'Thenweshan't'avetime,it'sjustonclosin'timenow.'answeredHarry.
'Well,wecan'tleave'em'ere.'
'Yus,youcan,'saidSally.'Noone'llrunawywithus.'
TomdidnotwanttopartfromLiza,butshebrokeinwith:
'Yus,goon,Tom.Sallyan'me'llgitalongarright,an'youain'tgottoomuchtime.'
'Yus,goodnight,'Arry,'saidSallytosettlethematter.
'Goodnight,oldgal,'heanswered,'giveusanotherslobber.'
Andshe,notatallunwilling,surrenderedherselftohim,whileheimprintedtwosoundingkissesonhercheeks.
'Goodnight,Tom,'saidLiza,holdingoutherhand.
'Goodnight,Liza,'heanswered,takingit,butlookingverywistfullyather.
Sheunderstood,andwithakindlysmileliftedupherfacetohim.Hebentdownand,takingherinhisarms,kissedherpassionately.
'Youdokissnice,Liza,'hesaid,makingtheotherslaugh.
'Thanksfortikin'meaht,oldman,'shesaidastheyparted.
'Arright,Liza,'heanswered,andadded,almosttohimself:'Godblessyer!'
''Ulloa,Blakeston,ain'tyoucomin'?'saidHarry,seeingthatJimwaswalkingoffwithhiswifeinsteadofjoininghimandTom.
'Na,'heanswered,'I'mgoin''ome.I'vegotterbeupatfiveter-morrer.'
'Youareachap!'saidHarry,disgustedly,strollingoffwithTomtothepub,whiletheothersmadetheirwaydownthes