'
'Notheywouldn't,noone'dseeus.'
Hewasspeakinginalowvoicesothatpeoplecouldnothear.
'Youcouldmeetmeahtsidethetheatre,'hewenton.
'Na,Icouldn'tgowithyouyou'reamarriedman.'
'Garn!wot'sthematter—jesttergotertheply?An'besides,mymissuscan'tcomeifshewanted,she'sgotthekidsterlookafter.'
'Ishouldliketerseeit,'saidLizameditatively.
Theyhadreachedherhouse,andJimsaid:
'Well,comeahtthisevenin'andtellmeifyerwill—eh,Liza?'
'Na,I'mnotcomin'ahtthisevening.'
'Thetwon't'urtyer.Ishallwiteforyer.'
''Tain'tabitofgoodyourwiting','causeIshan'tcome.'
'Well,then,look'ere,LizanextSaturdaynight'sthelastnight,an'Ishallgotothetheatre,any'ow.An'ifyou'llcome,youjustcometothedoorat'alf-pastsix,an'you'llfindmethere.See?'
'Na,Idon't,'saidLiza,firmly.
'Well,Ishallexpectyer.'
'Ishan'tcome,soyouneedn'texpect.'Andwiththatshewalkedintothehouseandslammedthedoorbehindher.
Hermotherhadnotcomeinfromherday'scharing,andLizasetaboutgettinghertea.Shethoughtitwouldberatherlonelyeatingitalone,sopouringoutacupofteaandputtingalittlecondensedmilkintoit,shecutahugepieceofbread-and-butter,andsatherselfdownoutsideonthedoorstep.Anotherwomancamedownstairs,andseeingLiza,satdownbyhersideandbegantotalk.
'Why,Mrs.Stanley,wot'aveyerdonetoyour'ead?'askedLiza,noticingabandageroundherforehead.
'I'adanaccidentlastnight,'answeredthewoman,blushinguneasily.
'Oh,Iamsorry!Wotdidyerdotoyerself?'
'Ifellagainstthecoal-scuttleandcutmy'eadopen.'
'Well,Inever!'
'Totellyerthetruth,I'adafewwordswithmyoldman.Butonedoesn'tlikethemthingstogetabahtyerwon'ttellanyone,willyer?'
'Notme!'answeredLiza.'Ididn'tknowyerhusbandwaslikethet.'
'Oh,'e'sasgentleasalambwhen'e'ssober,'saidMrs.Stanley,apologetically.'But,Lor'blessyer,when'e's'adadroptoomuch'e'sademond,an'there'snotwowaysabahtit.'
'An'youain'tbeenmarriedlongneither?'saidLiza.
'Na,notaboveeighteenmonthsain'titdisgriceful?T