myselftotheboneterkeep'erinluxury,an'thenthetsheshouldgoan'disgracemelikethis!'
'Iunderstandwotyermean.Mrs.Kemp.'
'Icantellyoumyfamilywasveryrespectablean'my'usband,'eearnedtwenty-fiveshillingsaweek,an'wasinthesimepliceseventeenyearsan''isemployerssentabeautifulwreathterputon'iscoffinan'theytellmetheynever'adsuchagoodworkmanan'sichan'onestmanbefore.An'me!Well,Icansythis—I'vedonemydutybythegirl,an'she'sneverlearntanythin'butgoodfromme.OfcourseIain'talwaysbeeninwotyermightcallflourishingcircumstances,butI'vealwayssetheragoodexample,asshecouldtellyerso'erselfifshewasn'tspeechless.'
Mrs.Kemppausedforamoment'sreflection.
'AstheysyintheBible,'shefinished,'it'senoughtermikeone'sgrey'airsgodahnintothegroundinsorrer.Icanshowyermymarriagecertificate.Ofcourseonedoesn'tliketersaymuch,becauseofcourseshe'sverybadbutifshegotwellIshould'avegiven'eratalkin'ter.'
Therewasanotherknock.
'Dogoan'see'oothetisIcan't,onaccountofmyrheumatics.'
Mrs.Hodgesopenedthedoor.ItwasJim.
Hewasverywhite,andtheblacknessofhishairandbeard,contrastingwiththedeathlypallorofhisface,madehimlookghastly.Mrs.Hodgessteppedback.
''Oo's'e?'shesaid,turningtoMrs.Kemp.
Jimpushedherasideandwentuptothebed.
'Doctor,issheverybad?'heasked.
Thedoctorlookedathimquestioningly.
Jimwhispered:'Itwasmeasdoneit.Sheain'tgoin'terdie,isshe?'
Thedoctornodded.
'OGod!wotshallIdo?Itwasmyfault!IwishIwasdead!'
Jimtookthegirl'sheadinhishands,andthetearsburstfromhiseyes.
'Sheain'tdeadyet,isshe?'
'She'sjustliving,'saidthedoctor.
Jimbentdown.
'Liza,Liza,speakterme!Liza,sayyouforgiveme!Oh,speakterme!'
Hisvoicewasfullofagony.Thedoctorspoke.
'Shecan'thearyou.'
'Oh,shemusthearme!Liza!Liza!'
Hesankonhiskneesbythebedside.
Theyallremainedsilent:Lizalyingstillerthanever,herbreastunmovedbythefeeblerespiration,Jimlookingatherverymournfullythedoctorgrave,