eterleave'eron'erown,nowshe'ssoold—an'shecan'tdomuchwiththerheumatics.An'besides,Jimdear,itain'tonlymother,butthere'syerownkids,yercan'tleavethem.'
Hethoughtforawhile,andthensaid:
'You'reabahtrightthere,LizaIdunnoifIcouldgetonwithoutthekids.IfIcouldonlytiketheman'youtoo,swopmebob,Ishouldbe'appy.'
Lizasmiledsadly.
'Soyersee,Jim,we'reinabloomin''ole,an'thereain'tnowayahtofitthetIcansee.'
Hetookheronhisknees,andpressinghertohim,kissedherverylongandverylovingly.
'Well,wemusttrustterluck,'shesaidagain,'p'rapssomethin''ll'appensoon,an'everythin''llcomerightintheend—whenwegetsfourballsofworstedforapenny.'
Itwaspasttwelve,andseparating,theywentbydifferentwaysalongthedreary,wet,desertedroadstilltheycametoVereStreet.
ThestreetseemedquitedifferenttoLizafromwhatithadbeenthreemonthsbefore.Tom,thehumbleadorer,hadquitedisappearedfromherlife.Oneday,threeorfourweeksaftertheAugustBankHoliday,shesawhimdawdlingalongthepavement,anditsuddenlystruckherthatshehadnotseenhimforalongtimebutshehadbeensofullofherhappinessthatshehadbeenunabletothinkofanyonebutJim.Shewonderedathisabsence,sincebeforewherevershehadbeentherewashecertaintobealso.Shepassedhim,buttoherastonishmenthedidnotspeaktoher.Shethoughtbysomewonderhehadnotseenher,butshefelthisgazerestinguponher.Sheturnedback,andsuddenlyhedroppedhiseyesandlookeddown,walkingonasifhehadnotseenher,butblushingfuriously.
'Tom,'shesaid,'whydon'tyerspeakterme.'
Hestartedandblushedmorethanever.
'Ididn'tknowyerwasthere,'hestuttered.
'Don'ttellme,'shesaid,'wot'sup?'
'Nothin'asIknowsof,'heanswereduneasily.
'Iain'toffendedyer,'aveI,Tom?'
'Na,notasIknowsof,'hereplied,lookingveryunhappy.
'Youdon'tevercomemywaynow,'shesaid.
'Ididn'tknowasyerwantedterseeme.'
'Garn!YerknowsIlikesyouaswellasanybody.'
'Yerlikessomanypeople,Liza,'hesaid,flushing.
'Whatd'yermean?'saidLizaindignantly,b