d there was lights
blazing like daylight and ladies and gentlemen in splendid clo'es
crowding the pavement, and taxicabs follering along the road. And as 'e
looked, they all went evil--evil in the face, Teddy. And it seemed to
'im SUDDENLY THEY SAW 'IM, and the women began to look at 'im and say
things to 'im--'orrible--wicked things. One come very near 'im, Teddy,
right up to 'im, and looked into 'is face--close. And she 'adn't got a
face to look with, only a painted skull, and then 'e see; they was
all painted skulls. And one after another they crowded on 'im saying
'orrible things, and catchin' at 'im and threatenin' and coaxing 'im, so
that 'is 'eart near left 'is body for fear."

"Yes," gasped Teddy in an unendurable pause.

"Then it was he remembered the words of Scripture and saved himself
alive. 'The Lord is my 'Elper, 'e says, 'therefore I will fear nothing,'
and straightaway there came a cock-crowing and the street was empty
from end to end. And after that the Lord was good to 'im and guided 'im
'ome."

Teddy stared and caught at another question. "But who was the people,"
he asked, "who lived in all these 'ouses? What was they?"

"Gent'men in business, people with money--leastways we thought it
was money till everything smashed up, and then seemingly it was jes'
paper--all sorts. Why, there was 'undreds of thousands of them. There
was millions. I've seen that 'I Street there regular so's you couldn't
walk along the pavements, shoppin' time, with women and people
shoppin'."

"But where'd they get their food and things?"

"Bort 'em in shops like I used to 'ave. I'll show you the place, Teddy,
if we go back. People nowadays 'aven't no idee of a shop--no idee.
Plate-glass winders--it's all Greek to them. Why, I've 'ad as much as
a ton and a 'arf of petaties to 'andle all at one time. You'd open your
eyes till they dropped out to see jes' what I used to 'ave in my shop.
Baskets of pears 'eaped up, marrers, apples and pears, d'licious great
nuts." His voice became luscious--"Benanas, oranges."

"What's benanas?" asked the boy, "and oranges?"

"Fruits they was. Sweet, juicy, d'licious fruits. Foreign fruits. They
brought 'em from Spain and N' York and places. In ships and things. They
brought 'em to me from all over the world, and I sold 'em in my shop.
_I_ sold 'em, Teddy! me what goes about now with you, dressed up in old
sacks and looking for lost 'ens. People used to come into my shop,
great beautiful