Jonah

om a row of shops; the other, lined with houses, was almost deserted, for th

ops, bent on plunder. For an hour past a stream of people had flowed from the back s

rters of beef, hanging like the limbs of a dismembered Colossus; and the carcasses of pigs, the unclean beast of the Jews, pallid as a corpse. The butchers passed in and out, sweati

bels on tins and packages and bottles, and the air was

rank smell of vegetables on the air; the fruit within, built in pyramids for d

inch by inch as they fought for the value of a penny. And they emerged staggering under the weig

ier matters of life-horses and women. They were all young-from eighteen to twenty-five-for the larrikin never grows ol

hbourhood. Their chief diversion was to guy the pedestrians, leaping

stable one day to a brown mare as 'ad a derry on 'im 'cause 'e flogged 'er crool. Well, wot does she do? She

er do," began another, stirred by that rivalry which makes talkers magnify

n features; the other, thin as a rake, with a mass

inquired, with a facetious grin. "

l stopped a

n a 'urry,"

id yer?" he asked,

e, Chook," she an

ll tell Jonah wot yer were d

girl, suddenly serious. "T

smoke; 'e'll be

wot I said," repli

er interdooce yer cobber?" cried Ch

'er back," he sang in parody, suddenly

shed pink with anger, her

ck yer jaw, if yer ta

uff, ain't it?"

ever mind 'im," cr

yer neck!" shouted Ch

silent, searching her mi

yer own," she cried; and the two passed out o

p, can't she?" said

d between the shoulders as if a giant's hand had pressed it down, the hump projecting behind, monstrous and inhuman. His face held you with a pair of restless grey eyes, the colour and temper of steel, deep with malicious intelligence. Hi

fer yous, Jon

hback, raising his leg to strike a m

e moll wi' ginger

h no

knockout in one act," said C

pluck!" cr

man's character from the colour of her hair; whethe

beat of a drum. The procession halted at the street corner, stepped out of the way of traffic, and f

en, in red jerseys and flat caps, held the poles of the torches in rest. When a gust of air blew the thick black smoke into their eyes, they p

hapen hands of a workman, stepped into the centre

r to be saved this very minit. For 'E is callin' yer to come an' be saved an' find salvation, as 'E called me many years ago. I was then like yerselves, full of wickedness, an gloryin' in sin. But I 'eard the voice of 'Im Who died on the Cross, an' saw I was rushin' 'eadlong to 'ell. An' 'Is blood washed a

the common face flamed with the ecstasy of the fanatic. When he stopped for breath or wiped the swe

like an actor facing the footlights, posing before the crowd that had gathered, flashing his vulgar conceit in

you come

ads the

cutting capers that would have de

s he danced himself to a st

imid bather shrinks from icy water, driven to this performance by an unseen power. But the women were shrill and self-possessed, scolding th

nd the Captain began to pray. His voice rose in shrill entreaty,

nute as they would look into a shop window. The exhibition stirred no religious feeling in them, for t

between a desire to upset the

s slow," remarked Chook, losing pat

ith a push from Chook, he collided violently with one

r to the grinning Chook. "I'll gi' yer a kick in the neck, if yer git

tain severely-"If yer was my son.

g to the man's feet, cased in enormous bluchers. The Push yelled

d angrily, and the

to tramp the streets and preach the Gospel to my

sh, devised a fresh attack, involving C

g, when suddenly there was a cry of "Nit! 'E

ttle into his pocket, and listened with unusual interest to the last hymn of the Army. Jonah, with one eye on the policeman, looked wo

o girls who had exchanged shots with Chook at the corner passed th

e cried. "I though

; I want yer,"

cried, following he

me minutes, while Chook complimen

ky-'igh," he conf

id

e straight on the p

ad," she cried, and the curious pin

e yer narked about

regular features; her eyes quick and bright, like a bird's.

yer 'air is red," said

iving him a vigorous push. Before he could repeat his at

The butcher's flare of lights shone with a desolate air on piles of bones and scraps of meat-the debris of battle.

?" asked Chook, feeling

said

ow?" inquired Ch

sleep at Ada's tonight," repli

looking at him in wonde

re. Says some blokes 'ave bin after 'er fowls," repl

infinite scorn. "Wants ye

," replied Jonah, w

" said Chook, feeling

igarettes, counted how many

Chook, derisively. "Luck

a hole in a wall

rer," said Chook, moving off.

ld woman I'm sleep

, paying what he could spare out of

you'll be missed," re

k!" crie