Tickets, Please! | Page 4

footboard when he comes round me!'
'He'll get dropped on one of these days,' said Nora.
'Ay, he will when somebody makes up their mind to drop it on him. I should like to see him taken down a peg or two, shouldn't you?'
'I shouldn't mind,' said Nora.
'You've got quite as much cause to as I have,' said Annie. 'But we'll drop on him one of these days, my girl. What! don't you want to?'
'I don't mind,' said Nora.
But as a matter of fact Nora was much more vindictive than Annie.
One by one Annie went the round of the old flames. It so happened that Cissy Meakin left the tramway service in quite a short time. Her mother made her leave. Then John Joseph was on the qui vive. He cast his eyes over his old flock. And his eyes lighted on Annie. He thought she would be safe now. Besides, he liked her.
She arranged to walk home with him on Sunday night. It so happened that her car would be in the depot at half-past nine: the last car would come in at ten-fifteen. So John Joseph was to wait for her there.
At the depot the girls had a little waiting-room of their own. It was quite rough, but cosy, with a fire and an oven and a mirror and table and wooden chairs. The half-dozen girls who knew John Joseph only too well had arranged to take service this Sunday afternoon. So as the cars began to come in early, the girls dropped into the waiting-room. And instead of hurrying off home they sat round the fire and had a cup of tea.
John Joseph came on the car after Annie, at about a quarter to ten. He poked his head easily into the girls' waiting-room.
'Prayer meeting?' he asked.
'Ay,' said Laura Sharp. 'Ladies' effort.'
'That's me!' said John Joseph. It was one of his favourite exclamations.
'Shut the door, boy,' said Muriel Baggaley.
'On which side of me?' said John Joseph.
'Which tha likes,' said Polly Birken.
He had come in and closed the door behind him. The girls moved in their circle to make a place for him near the fire. He took off his greatcoat and pushed back his hat.
'Who handles the teapot?' he said.
Nora silently poured him out a cup of tea.
'Want a bit o' my bread and dripping?' said Muriel Baggaley to him.
'Ay, all's welcome.'
And he began to eat his piece of bread.
'There's no place like home, girls,' he said.
They all looked at him as he uttered this piece of impudence. He seemed to be sunning himself in the presence of so many damsels.
'Especially if you're not afraid to go home in the dark,' said Laura Sharp.
'Me? By myself I am!'
They sat till they heard the last tram come in. In a few minutes Emma Housely entered.
'Come on, my old duck!' cried Polly Birkin.
'It is perishing,' said Emma, holding her fingers to the fire.
'"But I'm afraid to go home in the dark,"' sang Laura Sharp, the tune having got into her mind.
'Who're you going with tonight, Mr Raynor?' asked Muriel Baggaley, coolly.
'Tonight?' said John Joseph. 'Oh, I'm going home by myself tonight-all on my lonely-o.'
'That's me!' said Nora Purdy, using his own ejaculation. The girls laughed shrilly.
'Me as well, Nora,' said John Joseph.
'Don't know what you mean,' said Laura.
'Yes, I'm toddling,' said he, rising and reaching for his coat.
'Nay,' said Polly. 'We're all here waiting for you.'
'We've got to be up in good time in the morning,' he said, in the benevolent official manner. They all laughed.
'Nay,' said Muriel. 'Don't disappoint us all.' 'I'll take the lot, if you like,' he responded, gallantly.
'That you won't, either,' said Muriel. 'Two's company; seven's too much of a good thing.'
'Nay, take one,' said Laura. 'Fair and square, all above board, say which one.'
'Ay!' cried Annie, speaking for the first time. 'Choose, John Joseph-let's hear thee.'
'Nay,' he said. 'I'm going home quiet tonight.' He frowned at the use of his double name.
'Who says?' said Annie. 'Tha's got to ta'e one.'
'Nay, how can I take one?' he said, laughing uneasily. 'I don't want to make enemies.'
'You'd only make one,' said Annie, grimly.
'The chosen one,' said Laura. A laugh went up.
'Oh, ay! Who said girls!' exclaimed John Joseph, again turning as if to escape. 'Well, good-night!'
'Nay, you've got to take one,' said Muriel. 'Turn your face to the wall, and say which one touches you. Go on-we shall only just touch your back-one of us. Go on-turn your face to the wall, and don't look, and say which one touches you.'
They pushed him to a wall and stood him there with his face to it. Behind his back they all grimaced, tittering. He looked so comical.
'Go on!' he cried.
'You're looking-you're looking!' they shouted.
He turned his head away. And suddenly, with a movement like a swift cat, Annie went