nochanceofescapeshethoughtofturningquicklyandwalkingintheoppositedirection,buttherewasnottime,forthemenhadalreadyseenthem.ShewhisperedtoJim:
'Backusup,'andastheymetshesaidtooneofthemen:
''Ulloathere!Whereareyouoffto?'
Themenstopped,andoneofthemaskedthequestionback.
'Whereareyouoffto?'
'Me?Oh,I'vejustbeentothe'orspital.Oneofthegalsatourplaceisqueer,an'soIsaystermyself,"I'llgoan'see'er."'Shefalteredalittleasshebegan,butquicklygatheredherselftogether,lyingfluentlyandwithouthesitation.
'An'whenIcomeaht,'shewenton,''ooshouldIseejustpassin'the'orspitalbutthis'erecove,an''esaystome,"Wotcheer,"says'e,"I'mgoin'terVaux'all,comean'walkabitofthewywithus.""Arright,"saysI,"Idon'tmindifIdo."'
Onemanwinked,andanothersaid:'Goit,Liza!'
Shefiredupwiththedignityofoutragedinnocence.
'Wotd'yermeanbythet?'shesaid'd'yerthinkI'mkiddin'?'
'Kiddin'?No!You'veonlyjustcomeupfromthecountry,ain'tyer?'
'ThinkI'mkidding?Whatd'yerthinkIwantterkidfor?Liarsneverbelieveanyone,thet'sfact.'
'Nathen,Liza,don'tbesaucy.'
'Saucy!I'llsmackyerintheeyeifyersymuchterme.Comeon,'shesaidtoJim,whohadbeenstandingsheepishlybyandtheywalkedaway.
Themenshouted:'Nowweshan'tbelong!'andwentofflaughing.
Afterthattheydecidedtogowheretherewasnochanceatalloftheirbeingseen.TheydidnotmeettilltheygotoverWestminsterBridge,andthencetheymadetheirwayintotheparktheywouldliedownonthegrassinoneanother'sarms,andthusspendthelongsummerevenings.Aftertheheatofthedaytherewouldbeagentlebreezeinthepark,andtheywouldtakeinlongbreathsoftheairitseemedfarawayfromLondon,itwassoquietandcoolandLiza,asshelaybyJim'sside,feltherloveforhimoverflowingtotherestoftheworldandenvelopingmankinditselfinakindofgratefulhappiness.Ifitcouldonlyha