yle of her dancing, her
feet moved more quickly, and did not keep so strictly to the ground.
She was getting excited at the admiration of the onlookers, and her
dance grew wilder and more daring. She lifted her skirts higher,
brought in new and more difficult movements into her improvisation,
kicking up her legs she did the wonderful twist, backwards and
forwards, of which the dancer is proud.

'Look at 'er legs!' cried one of the men.

'Look at 'er stockin's!' shouted another; and indeed they were
remarkable, for Liza had chosen them of the same brilliant hue as her
dress, and was herself most proud of the harmony.

Her dance became gayer: her feet scarcely touched the ground, she
whirled round madly.

'Take care yer don't split!' cried out one of the wags, at a very
audacious kick.

The words were hardly out of his mouth when Liza, with a gigantic
effort, raised her foot and kicked off his hat. The feat was greeted
with applause, and she went on, making turns and twists, flourishing
her skirts, kicking higher and higher, and finally, among a volley of
shouts, fell on her hands and turned head over heels in a magnificent
catharine-wheel; then scrambling to her feet again, she tumbled into
the arms of a young man standing in the front of the ring.

'That's right, Liza,' he said. 'Give us a kiss, now,' and promptly
tried to take one.

'Git aht!' said Liza, pushing him away, not too gently.

'Yus, give us a kiss,' cried another, running up to her.

'I'll smack yer in the fice!' said Liza, elegantly, as she dodged him.

'Ketch 'old on 'er, Bill,' cried out a third, 'an' we'll all kiss
her.'

'Na, you won't!' shrieked Liza, beginning to run.

'Come on,' they cried, 'we'll ketch 'er.'

She dodged in and out, between their legs, under their arms, and then,
getting clear of the little crowd, caught up her skirts so that they
might not hinder her, and took to her heels along the street. A score
of men set in chase, whistling, shouting, yelling; the people at the
doors looked up to see the fun, and cried out to her as she dashed
past; she ran like the wind. Suddenly a man from the side darted into
the middle of the road, stood straight in her way, and before she knew
where she was, she had jumped shrieking into his arms, and he, lifting
her up to him, had imprinted two sounding kisses on her cheeks.

'Oh, you ----!' she said. Her expression was quite unprintable; nor can
it be euphemized.

There was a shout o