"I don't care," he answered slowly
and heavily. "I don't care a damn."
Her face changed exactly as he
had seen it change on the bridge
when she had drawn nearer to him.
Its ugly hardness suddenly looked
human. And that she could look
human was fantastic.
" 'Ow much 'ave yer?" she asked.
" 'Ow much is it?"
"About ten pounds."
She stopped and stared at him
with open mouth.
"Gawd!" she broke out; "ten
pounds 'd send Apple Blossom Court
to 'eving. Leastways, it'd take some
of it out o' 'ell."
"Take me to it," he said roughly.
"Take me."
She began to walk quickly, breathing
fast. The fog was lighter, and
it was no longer a blinding thing.
A question occurred to Dart.
"Why don't you ask me to give
the money to you?" he said bluntly.
"Dunno," she answered as bluntly.
But after taking a few steps farther
she spoke again.
"I 'm cheerfler than most of 'em,"
she elaborated. "If yer born cheerfle
yer can stand things. When I
gets a job nussin' women's bibies
they don't cry when I 'andles 'em.
I gets many a bite an' a copper 'cos
o' that. Folks likes yer. I shall
get on better than Polly when I'm
old enough to go on the street."
The organ of whose lagging, sick
pumpings Antony Dart had scarcely
been aware for months gave a sudden
leap in his breast. His blood
actually hastened its pace, and ran
through his veins instead of crawling
--a distinct physical effect of an
actual mental condition.
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