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k,yousee!' 'Quiteright,Mrs.KempI'marareoneforinsurin'.It'sagreatthing.I'vealwaysinsuredallmychildren.' 'ThewayIlookonitisthis,'saidMrs.Kemp—'woteveryerdowhenthey'realive,an'weallknowaschildrenisverytryin'sometimes,youshouldgivethemagoodfuneralwhentheydies.Thet'smymotto,an'I'vealwaysacteduptoit.' 'DoyoudealwithMr.Stearman?'askedMrs.Hodges. 'No,Mrs.'Odges,forundertikin'givemeMr.Footleyeverytime.Intheblackline'e'sfustan'therestnowhere!' 'Well,thet'sverystrangenow—thet'sjustwotIthink.Mr.Footleydoes'isworkwell,an''e'sveryreasonable.I'maveryoldcustomerof'is,an''eletsme'avethingsascheapasanybody.' 'Does'eindeed!WellMrs.'Odgesifitain'taskin'toomuchofyer,Ishouldlookuponitasverykindifyou'dgoan'mikethearrangementsforLiza.' 'Why,certainly,Mrs.Kemp.I'malwayswillin'terdoagoodturntoanybody,ifIcan.' 'Iwantitdoneveryrespectable,'saidMrs.Kemp'I'mnotgoin'terstintfornothin'formydaughter'sfuneral.Ilikeplumes,youknow,althoughtheyisabitextra.' 'Neveryoufear,Mrs.Kemp,itshallbedoneaswellasifitwasformyown'usbind,an'Ican'tsaymorethanthet.Mr.Footleythinksadealofme,'edoes!Why,onlytheotherdyasIwasgoin'inter'isshop'esays"Goodmornin',Mrs.'Odges.""Goodmornin',Mr.Footley,"saysI."You'vejestcomeinthenickoftime,"says'e."Thisgentlemanan'myself,"pointin'toanothergentlemanaswasstandin'there,"wewas'avin'abitofanargument.Nowyou'reaveryintelligentwoman,Mrs.'Odges,andagoodcustomertoo.""Icansaythetformyself,"sayI,"IgivesyeralltheworkIcan.""Ibelieveyou,"says'e."Well,"'esays,"nowwhichdoyouthink?Doeshoaklookbetterthanhelm,ordoeshelmlookbetterthanhoak?Hoakversushelm,thet'sthequestion.""Well,Mr.Footley,"saysI,"formyownprivateopinion,whenyou'vegotanicebrasspliteinthemiddle,an'nicebrass'andleseachend,there'snothin'likehoak.""Quiteright,"says'e,"thet'swotIthinkforcoffinsgivemehoakanyday,an'I'ope,"says'e,"whentheLordseesfittercallmeto'Imself,Ishallbeputinahoakcoffinmyself.""Amen,"saysI.' 'Ilikehoak,'saidMrs.Kemp.'Mypoor'usband'e'adahoakcoffin.Wedid'aveajobwith'im,Icantellyer.Youknow'e'addropsy,an''eswellup—oh,'edidswell'isownmotherwouldn't'aveknown'im.Why,'islegswelluptillitwasasbigroundas'isbody,swopmebob,itdid.' 'Diditindeed!'ejaculatedMrs.Hodges. 'Yus,an'when'ediedtheysentthecoffinup.Ididn't'aveMr.Footleyatthettimewedidn'tlive'erethen,welivedinBattersea,an'allourundertikin'wasdonebyMr.Brownin'well,'esentthecoffinup,an'wegotmyoldmanin,butwecouldn'tgettheliddown,hewassoswellup.Well,Mr.Brownin','ewasagreatbigman,thirteenstoneif'ewasaounce.Well,'estoodonthecoffin,an'ayoungman'e'adwith'imstoodonittoo,an'thelidsimplywouldn'tgodahnsoMr.Browning','esaid,"Jumpon,missus,"soIwasinmywidow'sweeds,yerknow,butwe'adtergititdahn,soIstoodonit,an'wealljumped,an'atlastwegotitto,an'screweditbut,lor',wedid'aveajobIshallneverforgetit.' Thenallwassilence.Andaheavinessseemedtofilltheairlikeagreyblight,coldandsuffocatingandtheheavinesswasDeath.Theyfeltthepresenceintheroom,andtheydarednotmove,theydarednotdrawtheirbreath.Thesilencewasterrifying. Suddenlyasoundwasheard—aloudrattle.Itwasfromthebedandrangthroughtheroom,piercingthestillness. ThedoctoropenedoneofLiza'seyesandtouchedit,thenhelaidonherbreastthehandhehadbeenholding,anddrewthesheetoverherhead. Jimturnedawaywithalookofintensewearinessonhisface,andthetwowomenbeganweepingsilently.Thedarknesswassinkingbeforetheday,andadim,greylightcamethroughthewindow.Thelampsplutteredout.