第97章

Ruth As has already been stated, hitherto Slyme had passed the greater number of his evenings at home, but during the following three weeks a change took place in his habits in this respect.He now went out nearly every night and did not return until after ten o'clock.On meeting nights he always changed his attire, dressing himself as on Sundays, but on the other occasions he went out in his week-day clothes.Ruth often wondered where he went on those nights, but he never volunteered the information and she never asked him.

Easton had chummed up with a lot of the regular customers at the `Cricketers', where he now spent most of his spare time, drinking beer, telling yarns or playing shove-ha'penny or hooks and rings.

When he had no cash the Old Dear gave him credit until Saturday.At first, the place had not had much attraction for him, and he really went there only for the purpose of `keeping in' with Crass: but after a time he found it a very congenial way of passing his evenings...

One evening, Ruth saw Slyme meet Crass as if by appointment and as the two men went away together she returned to her housework wondering what it meant.

Meantime, Crass and Slyme proceeded on their way down town.It was about half past six o'clock: the shops and streets were brilliantly lighted, and as they went along they saw numerous groups of men talking together in a listless way.Most of them were artisans and labourers out of employment and evidently in no great hurry to go home.Some of them had neither tea nor fire to go to, and stayed away from home as long as possible so as not to be compelled to look upon the misery of those who were waiting for them there.Others hung about hoping against all probability that they might even yet -although it was so late - hear of some job to be started somewhere or other.

As they passed one of these groups they recognized and nodded to Newman and old Jack Linden, and the former left the others and came up to Crass and Slyme, who did not pause, so Newman walked along with them.

`Anything fresh in, Bob?' he asked.

`No; we ain't got 'ardly anything,' replied Crass.`I reckon we shall finish up at "The Cave" next week, and then I suppose we shall all be stood orf.We've got several plumbers on, and I believe there's a little gas-fitting work in, but next to nothing in our line.'

`I suppose you don't know of any other firm what's got anything?'

`No, I don't, mate.Between you and me, I don't think any of 'em has;they're all in about the same fix.'

`I've not done anything since I left, you know,' said Newman, `and we've just about got as far as we can get, at home.'

Slyme and Crass said nothing in reply to this.They wished that Newman would take himself off, because they did not want him to know where they were going.

However, Newman continued to accompany them and an awkward silence succeeded.He seemed to wish to say something more, and they both guessed what it was.So they walked along as rapidly as possible in order not to give him any encouragement.At last Newman blurted out:

`I suppose - you don't happen - either of you - to have a tanner you could lend me? I'll let you have it back - when I get a job.'

`I ain't mate,' replied Crass.`I'm sorry; if I 'ad one on me, you should 'ave it, with pleasure.'

Slyme also expressed his regret that he had no money with him, and at the corner of the next street Newman - ashamed of having asked -wished them `good night' and went away.

Slyme and Crass hurried along and presently arrived at Rushton & Co.'s shop.The windows were lit up with electric light, displaying an assortment of wallpapers, gas and electric light fittings, glass shades, globes, tins of enamel, paint and varnish.Several framed show-cards - `Estimates Free', `First class work only, at moderate charges', `Only First Class Workmen Employed' and several others of the same type.On one side wall of the window was a large shield-shaped board covered with black velvet on which a number of brass fittings for coffins were arranged.The shield was on an oak mount with the inscription: `Funerals conducted on modern principles'.

Slyme waited outside while Crass went in.Mr Budd, the shopman, was down at the far end near the glazed partition which separated Mr Rushton's office from the front shop.As Crass entered, Budd - who was a pale-faced, unhealthy-looking, undersized youth about twenty years of age - looked round and, with a grimace, motioned him to walk softly.Crass paused, wondering what the other meant; but the shopman beckoned him to advance, grinning and winking and jerking his thumb over his shoulder in the direction of the office.Crass hesitated, fearing that possibly the miserable Budd had gone - or been driven -out of his mind; but as the latter continued to beckon and grin and point towards the office Crass screwed up his courage and followed him behind one of the showcases, and applying his eye to a crack in the woodwork of the partition indicated by Budd, he could see Mr Rushton in the act of kissing and embracing Miss Wade, the young lady clerk.

Crass watched them for some time and then whispered to Budd to call Slyme, and when the latter came they all three took turns at peeping through the crack in the partition.