outside the factory gates for a while,
made their way in different directions to their respective homes. Liza
and Sally went along together.

'I sy, we are comin' aht!' cried Sally, seeing the advertisement of a
play being acted at the neighbouring theatre.

'I should like ter see thet!' said Liza, as they stood arm-in-arm in
front of the flaring poster. It represented two rooms and a passage in
between; in one room a dead man was lying on the floor, while two
others were standing horror-stricken, listening to a youth who was in
the passage, knocking at the door.

'You see, they've 'killed im,' said Sally, excitedly.

'Yus, any fool can see thet! an' the one ahtside, wot's 'e doin' of?'

'Ain't 'e beautiful? I'll git my 'Arry ter tike me, I will. I should
like ter see it. 'E said 'e'd tike me to the ply.'

They strolled on again, and Liza, leaving Sally, made her way to her
mother's. She knew she must pass Jim's house, and wondered whether she
would see him. But as she walked along the street she saw Tom coming
the opposite way; with a sudden impulse she turned back so as not to
meet him, and began walking the way she had come. Then thinking
herself a fool for what she had done, she turned again and walked
towards him. She wondered if she had seen her or noticed her movement,
but when she looked down the street he was nowhere to be seen; he had
not caught sight of her, and had evidently gone in to see a mate in
one or other of the houses. She quickened her step, and passing the
house where lived Jim, could not help looking up; he was standing at
the door watching her, with a smile on his lips.

'I didn't see yer, Mr. Blakeston,' she said, as he came up to her.

'Didn't yer? Well, I knew yer would; an' I was witin' for yer ter look
up. I see yer before ter-day.'

'Na, when?'

'I passed be'ind yer as you an' thet other girl was lookin' at the
advertisement of thet ply.'

'I never see yer.'

'Na, I know yer didn't. I 'ear yer say, you says: "I should like to
see thet."'

'Yus, an' I should too.'

'Well, I'll tike yer.'

'You?'

'Yus; why not?'

'I like thet; wot would yer missus sy?'

'She wouldn't know.'

'But the neighbours would!'

'No they wouldn't, no one 'd see us.'

He was speaking in a low voice so that people could not hear.

'You could meet me ahtside the theatre,' he went on.

'Na, I couldn't go with you; you're a married man.'

'Garn! wot's the matter--jest ter go ter the ply? A