“Oh， will they！ Then you’d better help to pay for them，” shesaid， amiably， but determined.
“Now what art after？”
“What am I after？ Why， can’t you think？” she said sarcastically.
“I’m not for thinkin’， missis.”
“No， I know you’re not. But wheer’s my money？ You’vebeen paid the Union to-day. Wheer do I come in？”
“Tha’s got money， an’ tha mun use it.”
“Thank yer. An’ ‘aven’t you none， as well？”
“I hadna， not till we was paid， not a ha’p’ny.”
“Then you ought to be ashamed of yourself to say so.”
“’Appen so.”
“We’ll go shares wI’ th’ Union money，” she said. “That’snothing but what’s right.”
“We shonna. Tha’s got plenty o’ money as tha can use.”
“Oh， all right，” she said. “I will do.”
She went to bed. It made her feel sharp that she could not getat him.
The next day， she was just as usual. But at eleven o’clock shetook her purse and went up town. Trade was very slack. Menstood about in gangs， men were playing marbles everywherein the streets. It was a sunny morning. Mrs. Radford went intothe furnisher-and-upholsterer’s shop.
“There’s a few things，” she said to Mr. Allcock， “as I’mwantin’ for the house， and I might as well get them now， whilethe men’s at home， and can shift me the furniture.”
She put her fat purse on to the counter with a click. Theman should know she was not wanting “strap”. She boughtlinoleum for the kitchen， a new wringer， a breakfast-service， aspring mattress， and various other things， keeping a mere thirtyshillings， which she tied in a corner of her handkerchief. In herpurse was some loose silver.
Her husband was gardening in a desultory fashion when shegot back home. The daffodils were out. The colts in the field atthe end of the garden were tossing their velvety brown necks.
“Sithee here， missis，” called Radford， from the shed whichstood halfway down the path. Two doves in a cage were cooing.
“What have you got？” asked the woman， as she approached.
He held out to her in his big， earthy hand a tortoise. The reptilewas very， very slowly issuing its head again to the warmth.
“He’s wakkened up betimes，” said Radford.
“He’s like th’ men， wakened up for a holiday，” said the wife.
Radford scratched the little beast’s scaly head.
“We pleased to see him out，” he said.
They had just finished dinner， when a man knocked at thedoor.
“From Allcock’s！” he said.
The plump woman took up the clothes-basket containing thecrockery she had bought.
“Whativer hast got theer？” asked her husband.
“We’ve been wantin’ some breakfast-cups for ages， so I wentup town an’ got ‘em this mornin’，” she replied.
He watched her taking out the crockery.
“Hm！” he said. “Tha’s been on th’ spend， seemly.”
Again there was a thud at the door. The man had put down aroll of linoleum. Mr. Radford went to look at it.
“They come rolling in！” he exclaimed.
“Who’s grumbled more than you about the raggy oilcloth ofthis kitchen？” said the insidious， cat-like voice of the wife.
“It’s all right， it’s all right，” said Radford.
The carter came up the entry with another roll， which hedeposited with a grunt at the door.
“An’ how much do you reckon this lot is？” he asked.
“Oh， they’re all paid for， don’t worry，” replied the wife.
“Shall yer gI’e me a hand， mester？” asked the carter.
Radford followed him down the entry， in his easy， slouchingway. His wife went after. His waistcoat was hanging loose overhis shirt. She watched his easy movement of well-being as shefollowed him， and she laughed to herself.
The carter took hold of one end of the wire mattress， draggedit forth.
“Well， this is a corker！” said Radford， as he received theburden.
“Now the mangle！” said the carter.
“What dost reckon tha’s been up to， missis？” asked thehusband.
“I said to myself last wash-day， if I had to turn that mangleagain， tha’d ha’e ter wash the clothes thyself.”
Radford followed the carter down the entry again. In thestreet， women were standing watching， and dozens of menwere lounging round the cart. One officiously helped with thewringer.
“GI’e him thrippence，” said Mrs. Radford.
“GI’e him thysen，” replied her husband.
“I’ve no change under half a crown.”
Radford tipped the carter， and returned indoors. He surveyedthe array of crockery， linoleum， mattress， mangle， and othergoods crowding the house and the yard.
“Well， this is a winder！” he repeated.
“We stood in need of ‘em enough，” she replied.
“I hope tha’s got plenty more from wheer they came from，”
he replied dangerously.
“That’s just what I haven’t.” She opened her purse. “Twohalf-crowns， that’s every copper I’ve got I’ th’ world.”
He stood very still as he looked.
“It’s right，” she said.
There was a certain smug sense of satisfaction about her. Awave of anger came over him， blinding him. But he waited andwaited. Suddenly his arm leapt up， the fist clenched， and hiseyes blazed at her. She shrank away， pale and frightened. Buthe dropped his fist to his side， turned， and went out， muttering.
He went down to the shed that stood in the middle of thegarden. There he picked up the tortoise， and stood with benthead， rubbing its horny head.
She stood hesitating， watching him. Her heart was heavy，and yet there was a curious， cat-like look of satisfaction roundher eyes. Then she went indoors and gazed at her new cups，admiringly.
The next week he handed her his half-sovereign without aword.
“You’ll want some for yourself，” she said， and she gave hima shilling. He accepted it.
