To-morrow in view is likely to be particularly conscious of mental
processes. He was done for, but he stood and stared at her. What part
of the Power moving the scheme of the universe stood near and thrust him
on in the path designed he did not know then--perhaps never did. He was
still holding on to the thing in his pocket, but he spoke to her again.

"What do you mean?" he asked glumly.

She sidled nearer, her sharp eyes on his face.

"I bin watchin' yer," she said. "I sat down and pulled the sack over me
'ead to breathe inside it an' get a bit warm. An' I see yer come. I
knowed wot yer was after, I did. I watched yer through a 'ole in me
sack. I wasn't goin' to call a copper. I shouldn't want ter be stopped
meself if I made up me mind. I seed a gal dragged out las' week an'
it'd a broke yer 'art to see 'er tear 'er clothes an' scream. Wot
business 'ad they preventin' 'er goin' off quiet? I wouldn't 'a'
stopped yer--but w'en the quid fell, that made it different."

"I--" he said, feeling the foolishness of the statement, but making it,
nevertheless, "I am ill."

"Course yer ill. It's yer 'ead. Come along er me an' get a cup er
cawfee at a stand, an' buck up. If yer've give me that quid straight--
wish-yer-may-die--I'll go with yer an' get a cup myself. I ain't 'ad a
bite since yesterday--an' 't wa'n't nothin' but a slice o' polony
sossidge I found on a dust-'eap. Come on, mister."

She pulled his coat with her cracked hand. He glanced down at it
mechanically, and saw that some of the fissures had bled and the