"Well," commented Strephon, still gnawing patiently at his bone, "it ain’t much to yere credit. I’m on the straight ticket meself. Per’aps if I’d knowed the sort of character you—but there: you ain’t so bad as some on ’em. Harlot, or thief, or what not, you’ve treated me quite fair.... Gurrr! ... Christ, but it’s cold!" "Chronic!" said the woman, pressing her senseless fingers to her neck, in the way which women have. "That ’am," reflected Strephon, "just sooted me all right. Wish I ’ad a fag now." Without a word, the woman struggled to her feet, and descended the steps of the pedestal, half walking, half crawling, like a child. She peered into the darkness, and must have beheld a figure there; for she at once came forward, with stiff, uncertain steps, and having spoken to him, returned to her pedestal the possessor of all his cigarettes. "Strike me now," cried Strephon, beholding her treasure with incredulous eyes; "you _are_ a deep one. You don’t ’arf know the ropes. Take one yerself, won’t ye?" Chlöe took a cigarette and lighted it; but Strephon, after fumbling hopelessly with a matchbox, threw the thing away from him in petulant despair. "See here," cried he. "Look at them things, there! Them’s my ’ands; was once. Look at ’em. Gawd ’elp me, look at ’em. I can’t bend ’em; I can’t move ’em; Gawd ’elp me, I can’t ser much as lift ’em. I——" Chide, taking the cigarette from her lips, placed it between his, which silenced them. And then she took his hands, and with a little laugh—the same old creak of a laugh—she widened the gaping juncture of her bodice, and placed his senseless hands within it, where they lay warm beside her bosom. The sudden contact of the ice-cold substance forced a little shriek from her. "That’s a good idea, mate, that is," declared her Strephon. "’Ope you won’t catch cold?" "Co-old?" cried the woman, with a little tremor. "Co-ld be damned. Us women is different from you blo-o-kes. We kin sta-and more cold. We got more warmth be na-ature." "I see," said Strephon, and he blew forth a fat, contented cloud of cigarette smoke. There was a silence, disturbed by the chattering of the woman’s teeth. Then, at last, with a sudden catching of the breath, she spoke again— "’Ere," she said, "’ere"—and she uttered the familiar creak—"I’m doin’ this because I like you. Wonder if you like me?" "Ho," reflected Strephon, "you’re all right—considering what you are." *VII* *ON THE PROPERTIES OF WATER* "Doctor ... can you tell me if water is a safe thing for anybody to drink?" She was a wizened, alert little woman, having bright eyes and an eager face. The back of the doctor’s neck, which I spied through my peephole, grew red under pressure of the secret emotions occasioned by this question. "As to that," replied the doctor, "I—ahem—er—I—well, in fact—er—ahem—you see, er—Mrs.—Mrs.——"