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AfewdaysafterwardsLizawastalkingwithSally,whodidnotseemverymuchhappierthanwhenLizahadlastseenher. ''Eain'twotIthought'ewos,'shesaid.'Idon'tmindsayin'thetbut'e'asalotterputupwithIexpectI'mrathertryin'sometimes,an''emeanswell.P'raps'e'llbekinderlikewhenthebiby'sborn.' 'Cheerup,oldgal,'answeredLiza,whohadseensomethingofthelivesofmanymarriedcouples'itwon'tseemsobadafteryergetsusedtoitit'sabitdisappointin'atfust,butyergitsnottermindit.' AfteralittleSallysaidshemustgoandseeaboutherhusband'stea.Shesaidgood-bye,andthenratherawkwardly: 'Say,Liza,tikecareofyerself!' 'Tikecareofmeself—why?'askedLiza,insurprise. 'YerknowwotImean.' 'Na,I'mdarnedifIdo.' 'ThetthereMrs.Blakeston,she'slookin'ahtforyou.' 'Mrs.Blakeston!'Lizawasstartled. 'Yusshesaysshe'sgoin'tergiveyousomethin'ifshecangit'oldonyer.Ishouldadviseyertertikecare.' 'Me?'saidLiza. Sallylookedaway,soasnottoseetheother'sface. 'Shesaysas'owyer'vebeenmessin'abahtwith'eroldman.' Lizadidn'tsayanything,andSally,repeatinghergood-bye,slidoff. Lizafeltachillrunthroughher.ShehadseveraltimesnoticedascowlandalookofangeronMrs.Blakeston'sface,andshehadavoidedherasmuchaspossiblebutshehadnoideathatthewomanmeanttodoanythingtoher.Shewasveryfrightened,acoldsweatbrokeoutoverherface.IfMrs.Blakestongotholdofhershewouldbehelpless,shewassosmallandweak,whiletheotherwasstrongandmuscular.Lizawonderedwhatshewoulddoifshedidcatchher. ThatnightshetoldJim,andtriedtomakeajokeofit. 'Isay,Jim,yourmissus—shesaysshe'sgoin'tergivemesocksifshecatchesme.' 'Mymissus!'Owd'yerknow?' 'She'sbeentellin'peopleinthestreet.' 'Go'lumme,'saidJim,furious,'ifshedarestertoucha'airofyour'ead,swopmedickyI'llgive'ersicha'idin'asshenever'adbefore!ByGod,givemethechanst,an'Iwouldlet'er'aveitI'mbloomin'wellsickof'ersulks!'Heclenchedhisfistashespoke. Lizawasacoward.Shecouldnothelpthinkingofherenemy'sthreatitgotonhernerves,andshehardlydaredgooutforfearofmeetinghershewouldlooknervouslyinfrontofher,quicklyturningroundifshesawinthedistanceanyoneresemblingMrs.Blakeston.Shedreamedofheratnightshesawthebig,powerfulform,theheavy,frowningface,andthecuriouslybraidedbrownhairandshewouldwakeupwithacryandfindherselfbathedinsweat. ItwastheSaturdayafternoonfollowingthis,achillNovemberday,withtheroadssloshy,andagrey,comfortlessskythatmadeone'sspiritssink.Itwasaboutthreeo'clock,andLizawascominghomefromworkshegotintoVereStreet,andwaswalkingquicklytowardsherhousewhenshesawMrs.Blakestoncomingtowardsher.Herheartgaveagreatjump.Turning,shewalkedrapidlyinthedirectionshehadcomewithascrewroundofhereyesshesawthatshewasbeingfollowed,andthereforewentstraightoutofVereStreet.Shewentrightround,meaningtogetintothestreetfromtheotherendand,unobserved,slipintoherhouse,whichwasthenquiteclosebutshedarednotriskitimmediatelyforfearMrs.Blakestonshouldstillbetheresoshewaitedaboutforhalfanhour.Itseemedanage.Finally,takinghercourageinbothhands,sheturnedthecornerandenteredVereStreet.ShenearlyranintothearmsofMrs.Blakeston,whowasstandingclosetothepublic-housedoor. Lizagavealittlecry,andthewomansaid,withasneer: 'Yerdidn'texpectterseeme,didyer?' Lizadidnotanswer,buttriedtowalkpasther.Mrs.Blakestonsteppedforwardandblockedherway. 'Yerseemterbeinamightyfine'urry,'shesaid. 'Yus,I'vegottergit'ome,'saidLiza,againtryingtopass. 'Butsupposin'Idon'tletyer?'remarkedMrs.Blakeston,preventingherfrommoving. 'Whydon'tyerleavemealone?'Lizasaid.'Iain'tinterferin'withyou!' 'Notinterferin'withme,aren'tyer?Ilikethet!' 'Letmegoby,'saidLiza.'Idon'twanttertalkteryou.' 'Na,Iknowthet,'saidtheother'butIwanttertalkteryou,an'Ishan'tletyergountilI'vesaidwotIwantstersy.' Lizalookedroundforhelp.Atthebeginningofthealtercationtheloafersaboutthepublic-househadlookedupwithinterest,andgraduallygatheredroundinalittlecircle.Passers-byhadjoinedin,andanumberofotherpeopleinthestreet,seeingthecrowd,addedthemselvestoittoseewhatwasgoingon.Lizasawthatalleyeswerefixedonher,themenamusedandexcited,thewomenunsympathetic,rathervirtuouslyindignant.Lizawantedtoaskforhelp,butthereweresomanypeople,andtheyallseemedsomuchagainsther,thatshehadnotthecourageto.So,havingsurveyedthecrowd,sheturnedhereyestoMrs.Blakeston,andstoodinfrontofher,tremblingalittle,andverywhite. 'Na,'eain'tthere,'saidMrs.Blakeston,sneeringly,'soyerneedn'tlookfor'im.' 'Idunnowotyermean,'answeredLiza,'an'Iwanttergoawy.Iain'tdonenothin'teryou.' 'Notdonenothin'terme?'furiouslyrepeatedthewoman.'I'lltellyerwotyer'vedoneterme—you'verobbedmeofmy'usbind,you'ave.Inever'adawordwithmy'usbinduntilyoutook'imfromme.An'nowit'sallyouwith'im.'E'sgotnotimefor'iswifean'family—it'sallyou.An''ismoney,too.Inevergitapennyofitifitweren'tforthelittlebitI'adsavedupinthesiving-bank,mean'mychildren'udbestarvin'now!An'allthroughyou!'Sheshookherfistather. 'Inever'adanymoneyfromanyone.' 'Don'talktermeIknowyerdid.Yerdirtybitch!Yououghterbeishimedofyourselftikin'amarriedmanfrom'isfamily,an''imoldenoughterbeyerfather.' 'She'srightthere!'saidoneortwooftheonlookingwomen.'Therecan'tbenogoodin'erifshetikessomebodyelse's'usbind.' 'I'llgiveityer!'proceededMrs.Blakeston,gettingmorehotandexcited,brandishingherfist,andspeakinginaloudvoice,hoarsewithrage.'Oh,I'vebeentryin'tergit'oldonyerthisfourweeks.Why,you'reaprostitute—that'swotyouare!' 'I'mnot!'answeredLizaindignantly. 'Yus,youare,'repeatedMrs.Blakeston,advancingmenacingly,sothatLizashrankback