nted to get away, and would have liked to empty
the stuff out of the glass on the floor, but she was afraid that Mrs
Crass or one of the others might see her doing so, and there might be
some trouble about it. Anyway, it seemed easier to drink this small
quantity of spirits and water than a big glass of beer, the very
thought of which now made her feel ill. She drank the stuff which
Easton handed to her at a single draught and, handing back the empty
glass with a shudder, stood up resolutely.

'Are you coming home now? You promised you would,' she said.

'All right: presently,' replied Easton. 'There's plenty of time; it's
not nine yet.'

'That doesn't matter; it's quite late enough. You know we've left the
child at home alone in the house. You promised you'd come as soon as
you'd finished that other game.'

'All right, all right,' answered Easton impatiently. 'Just wait a
minute, I want to see this, and then I'll come.'

'This' was a most interesting problem propounded by Crass, who had
arranged eleven matches side by side on the shove-ha'penny board. The
problem was to take none away and yet leave only nine. Nearly all the
men in the bar were crowding round the shove-ha'penny board, some with
knitted brows and drunken gravity trying to solve the puzzle and others
waiting curiously for the result. Easton crossed over to see how it
was done, and as none of the crowd were able to do the trick, Crass
showed that it could be accomplished by simply arranging the eleven
matches so as to form the word NINE. Everybody said it was very good
indeed, very clever and interesting. But the Semi-drunk and the
Besotted Wretch were reminded by this trick of several others equally
good, and they proceeded to do them; and then the men had another pint
each all round as a reviver after the mental strain of the last few
minutes.

Easton did not know any tricks himself, but he was an interested
spectator of those done by several others until Ruth came over and
touched his arm.

'Aren't you coming?'

'Wait a minute, can't you?' cried Easton roughly. 'What's your hurry?'

'I don't want to stay here any longer,' said Ruth, hysterically. 'You
said you'd come as soon as you saw that trick. If you don't come, I
shall go home by myself. I don't want to stay in this place any
longer.'

'Well, go by yourself if you want to!' shouted Easton fiercely, pushing
her away from him. 'I shall stop 'ere as long as I please, and i