n'abahtitIought.'
'D'yerfindsitpayswell?'
'Well,Mrs.Kemp,tikeitallinall,Iain'tgotnogroundsforcomplaint.I'minthe'abitofaskin'fiveshillings,an'Iwillsaythis,Idon'tthinkit'stoomuchforwotIdo.'
ThenewsofLiza'sillnesshadquicklyspread,andmorethanonceinthecourseofthedayaneighbourhadcometoaskafterher.Therewasaknockatthedoornow,andMrs.Hodgesopenedit.Tomstoodonthethresholdaskingtocomein.
'Yus,youcancome,'saidMrs.Kemp.
Headvancedontiptoe,soastomakenonoise,andforawhilestoodsilentlylookingatLiza.Mrs.Hodgeswasbyhisside.
'CanIspeakto'er?'hewhispered.
'Shecan't'earyou.'
Hegroaned.
'D'yerthinkshe'llgetarright?'heasked.
Mrs.Hodgesshruggedhershoulders.
'Ishouldn'tliketergiveanopinion,'shesaid,cautiously.
TombentoverLiza,and,blushing,kissedherthen,withoutspeakingfurther,wentoutoftheroom.
'Thet'stheyoungmanaswascourtin''er,'saidMrs.Kemp,pointingoverhershoulderwithherthumb.
SoonaftertheDoctorcame.
'Wotdoyerthinkof'er,doctor?'saidMrs.Hodges,bustlingforwardsauthoritativelyinherpositionofmidwifeandsick-nurse.
'I'mafraidshe'sverybad.'
'D'yerthinkshe'sgoin'terdie?'sheasked,droppinghervoicetoawhisper.
'I'mafraidso!'
AsthedoctorsatdownbyLiza'ssideMrs.HodgesturnedroundandsignificantlynoddedtoMrs.Kemp,whoputherhandkerchieftohereyes.Thenshewentoutsidetothelittlegroupwaitingatthedoor.
'Wotdoesthedoctorsy?'theyasked,amongthemTom.
''EsaysjustwotI'vebeensayin'allalongIknewshewouldn'tlive.'
AndTomburstout:'Oh,Liza!'
Assheretiredawomanremarked:
'Mrs.'Odgesisveryclever,Ithink.'
'Yus,'remarkedanother,'shegotmethroughmylastconfinementsimplywonderful.Ifitcometochoosin'between'emI'dbackMrs.'Odgesagainstfortydoctors.'
'Tertellyerthetruth,sowouldI.I'veneverknown'erwrongyet.'
Mrs.HodgessatdownbesideMrs.Kempandproceededtocomforther.
'Whydon'tyertikealittledropofbrandytercalmyernerves,Mrs.Kemp?'shesaid,'you