eSallyinsistedonstoppinginfrontoftheposterandexplainingtoLizaallaboutthescenerepresented.
'Oh,yougivemethesickwithyour"FitalCard",youdo!I'mgoin''ome.'AndsheleftSallyinthemidstofherexplanation.
'Idunnowot'supwithLiza,'remarkedSallytoamutualfriend.'She'salwaysgottheneedle,some'ow.'
'Oh,she'sbarmy,'answeredthefriend.
'Well,Idothinkshe'sabitdottysometimes—Idoreally,'rejoinedSally.
Lizawalkedhomewards,thinkingoftheplayatlengthshetossedherheadimpatiently.
'Idon'twantterseetheblastedthingan'ifIseethatthereJimI'lltell'imsoswopmebob,Iwill.'
Shedidseehimhewasleaningwithhisbackagainstthewallofhishouse,smoking.Lizaknewhehadseenher,andasshewalkedbypretendednottohavenoticedhim.Toherdisgust,heletherpass,andshewasthinkinghehadn'tseenherafterall,whensheheardhimcallhername.
'Liza!'
Sheturnedroundandstartedwithsurpriseverywellimitated.'Ididn'tseeyouwasthere!'shesaid.
'Whydidyerpretendnotternoticeme,asyerwentpast—eh,Liza?'
'Why,Ididn'tseeyer.'
'Garn!Butyouain'tshirtywithme?'
'Wot'aveIgottobeshirtyabaht?'
Hetriedtotakeherhand,butshedrewitawayquickly.Shewasgettingusedtothemovement.Theywentontalking,butJimdidnotmentionthetheatreLizawassurprised,andwonderedwhetherhehadforgotten.
'Er—Sallywenttotheplylastnight,'shesaid,atlast.
'Oh!'hesaid,andthatwasall.
Shegotimpatient.
'Well,I'moff!'shesaid.
'Na,don'tgoyetIwanttertalkteryer,'hereplied.
'Wotabaht?anythin'inpartickler?'Shewoulddragitoutofhimifshepossiblycould.
'NotthetIknowson,'hesaid,smiling.
'Goodnight!'shesaid,abruptly,turningawayfromhim.
'Well,I'mdamnedif'eain'tforgotten!'shesaidtoherself,sulkily,asshemarchedhome.
Thefollowingeveningaboutsixo'clock,itsuddenlystruckherthatitwasthelastnightofthe'NewandSensationalDrama'.
'IdolikethetJimBlakeston,'shesaidtoherself'fancytreatin'melikethet!Youwouldn'tcatchT