finger."

Here she stopped for breath, and Chook turned aside the torrent of
words by offering her some vegetables, riddled with grubs, for the
trouble of carrying them home. She considered herself one of Chook's
best customers, having dealt off him since their first meeting. Every
market-day she came to the shop, picked out everything that was damaged
or bruised, and bought it at her own price. She often wished that
Pinkey had married a grocer.

Chook had said nothing to her of his win at the two-up school, and she
only heard of it at the last moment through a neighbour. She put on
her hat, and just reached the shop in time to see Chook drive up to the
door in his own horse and cart. Pinkey was standing there, radiant,
her dreams come true, already feeling that their fortunes were made.
Mrs Partridge looked on with a choking sensation in her throat,
desiring nothing for herself, but angry with Fortune for showering her
gifts on others. Then she stepped up briskly, and cried out:

"I 'eard all about yer luck, an' I sez to myself, 'it couldn't 'ave
'appened to a more deservin' young feller.' You'll ride in yer carriage
yet, mark my words."

She came nearer and stared at the mare, anxious to find fault, but
knowing nothing of the points of a horse. She decided to make friends
with it, and rubbed its nose. The animal, giving her an affectionate
look, furtively tried to bite her arm, and then threw back its head,
expecting the rap on the nose that always followed this attempt. Mrs
Partridge trembled with fear and rage.

"Well, I never!" she cried. "The sly brute! Looked at me like a 'uman
being, an' then tried to eat me, which I could never understand people
preachin' about kindness to dumb animals, an' 'orses takin' a delight
in runnin' over people in the street every day."

"It's because they've got relations that makes 'em thankful animals are
dumb," said Chook.

"Meaning me?" cried Mrs Partridge, smelling an insult.

"You?" said Chook, affecting surprise. "I niver mind yous talkin'. It
goes in one ear an' out of the other."

Mrs Partridge bounced out of the shop in a rage, but next day she came
back to tell Pinkey that she had found the very house in Surry Hills
for a shilling a week less rent. She stayed long enough to frighten
the life out of Pinkey by telling her that she had heard that Jack Ryan
was well rid of the horse, because it had a habit of bolting and
breaking the driver's neck. Cho