ickly, almost to run, but her companion gave her courage
and self-possession, so that she walked gallantly. But her mind was a
fever. She could feel his eyes raking her from head to foot, she could
see his great hand going up to tap his crinkly moustache. These things
she could see in her terrified mind, but she could not think, she
could only give thanks to God because she had her best clothes on.

XXIII

Mrs. Makebelieve was planning to get back such of her furniture and
effects as had been pawned during her illness. Some of these things
she had carried away from her father's house many years before when
she got married. They had been amongst the earliest objects on which
her eyes had rested when she was born, and around them her whole life
of memories revolved. A chair in which her father had sat and on the
edge whereof her husband had timidly balanced himself when he came
courting her, and into which her daughter had been tied when she was a
baby. A strip of carpet and some knives and forks had formed portion
of her wedding presents. She loved these things, and had determined
that if work could retrieve them they should not be lost forever.
Therefore, she had to suffer people like Mrs. O'Connor, not gladly,
but with the resignation due to the hests of Providence which one must
obey but may legitimately criticise. Mrs. Makebelieve said definitely
that she detested the woman. She was a cold-eyed person whose only
ability was to order about other people who were much better than she
was. It distressed Mrs. Makebelieve to have to work for such a person,
to be subject to her commands and liable to her reproofs or advice;
these were things which seemed to her to be out of all due proportion.
She did not wish the woman any harm, but some day or other she would
undoubtedly have to put her in her proper place. It was a day to which
she looked forward. Any one who had a sufficient income could have a
house and could employ and pay for outside help without any particular
reason for being proud, and many people, having such an income, would
certainly have a better appointed house and would be more generous
and civil to those who came to work for them. Everybody, of course,
could not have a policeman for a nephew, and there were a great many
people who would rather not have anything to do with a policeman at
all. Overbearing rough creatures to whom everybody is a thief! If Mrs.
Makebelieve had such a nephew she would ce