of the forest.

He felt extremely unhappy as he wandered on, and there was a choky
feeling in his throat as he thought of Liza: she was very unkind and
ungrateful, and he wished he had never come to Chingford. She might so
easily have come for a walk with him instead of going with that beast
of a Blakeston; she wouldn't ever do anything for him, and he hated
her--but all the same, he was a poor foolish thing in love, and he
began to feel that perhaps he had been a little exacting and a little
forward to take offence. And then he wished he had never said
anything, and he wanted so much to see her and make it up. He made his
way back to Chingford, hoping she would not make him wait too long.

Liza was a little surprised when Tom turned and left them.

'Wot 'as 'e got the needle abaht?' she said.

'Why, 'e's jealous,' answered Jim, with a laugh.

'Tom jealous?'

'Yus; 'e's jealous of me.'

'Well, 'e ain't got no cause ter be jealous of anyone--that 'e ain't!'
said Liza, and continued by telling him all about Tom: how he had
wanted to marry her and she wouldn't have him, and how she had only
agreed to come to Chingford with him on the understanding that she
should preserve her entire freedom. Jim listened sympathetically, but
his wife paid no attention; she was doubtless engaged in thought
respecting her household or her family.

When they got back to Chingford they saw Tom standing in solitude
looking at them. Liza was struck by the woebegone expression on his
face; she felt she had been cruel to him, and leaving the Blakestons
went up to him.

'I say, Tom,' she said, 'don't tike on so; I didn't mean it.'

He was bursting to apologize for his behaviour.

'Yer know, Tom,' she went on, 'I'm rather 'asty, an' I'm sorry I said
wot I did.'

'Oh, Liza, you are good! You ain't cross with me?'

'Me? Na; it's you thet oughter be cross.'

'You are a good sort, Liza!'

'You ain't vexed with me?'

'Give me Liza every time; that's wot I say,' he answered, as his face
lit up. 'Come along an' 'ave tea, an' then we'll go for a
donkey-ride.'

The donkey-ride was a great success. Liza was a little afraid at
first, so Tom walked by her side to take care of her, she screamed the
moment the beast began to trot, and clutched hold of Tom to save
herself from falling, and as he felt her hand on his shoulder, and
heard her appealing cry: 'Oh, do 'old me! I'm fallin'!' he felt that
he had never in his life been so delicious