onpostsinthemiddlesothathorsesorbarrowsshouldnotbetakenthrough.
Theyhadjustgottoitwhenamancameoutintotheopenroad.Lizaquicklyturnedherheadaway.
'Iwonderif'eseeus,'shesaid,whenhehadpassedoutofearshot.''E'slookin'back,'sheadded.
'Why,'ooisit?'askedJim.
'It'samanahtofourstreet,'sheanswered.'Idunno'im,butIknowwhere'elodges.D'yerthink'eseesus?'
'Na,'ewouldn'tknow'ooitwasinthedark.'
'Buthelookedroundallthestreet'llknowitifheseeus.'
'Well,weain'tdoin'no'arm.'
Shestretchedoutherhandtosaygoodnight.
'I'llcomeawywithyeralongthepassage,'saidJim.
'Na,youmustn'tyougostraightround.'
'Butit'ssodarkp'rapssummat'll'appentoyer.'
'Notit!Yougoon'omean'leaveme,'shereplied,andenteringthepassage,stoodfacinghimwithoneoftheironpillarsbetweenthem.
'Goodnight,oldcock,'shesaid,stretchingoutherhand.Hetookit,andsaid:
'Iwishyerwasn'tgoin'terleaveme,Liza.'
'Garn!Imust!'Shetriedtogetherhandawayfromhis,buthehelditfirm,restingitonthetopofthepillar.
'Leavegomy'and,'shesaid.Hemadenomovement,butlookedintohereyessteadily,sothatitmadeheruneasy.Sherepentedhavingcomeoutwithhim.'Leavegomy'and.'Andshebeatdownonhiswithherclosedfist.
'Liza!'hesaid,atlast.
'Well,wotisit?'sheanswered,stillthumpingdownonhishandwithherfist.
'Liza,'hesaidawhisper,'willyer?'
'WillIwot?'shesaid,lookingdown.
'Youknow,Liza.Sy,willyer?'
'Na,'shesaid.
Hebentoverherandrepeated—
'Willyer?'
Shedidnotspeak,butkeptbeatingdownonhishand.
'Liza,'hesaidagain,hisvoicegrowinghoarseandthick—'Liza,willyer?'
Shestillkeptsilence,lookingawayandcontinuallybringingdownherfist.Helookedatheramoment,andshe,ceasingtothumphishand,lookedupathimwithhalf-openedmouth.Suddenlyheshookhimself,andclosinghisfistgaveheraviolent,swingingblowinthebelly.
'Comeon,'hesaid.
Andtogethertheysliddownintothedarknessofthepassage.