“No, no. We’ll just rest a moment or two, and I’ll be all right.” They sat down on their bags, and she stroked Maria pensively.
Sylvia was relieved when the silence was interrupted by a policeman. She felt the need of opposition to drive away the doubts that took advantage of that first fatigue to shake her purpose.
“Now then, what are you doing?” he demanded, gruffly.
“We’re sitting down,” Sylvia informed him.
“Loitering isn’t allowed here,” the policeman said.
“Where is it allowed, please?” she asked, sweetly.
“Loitering isn’t allowed nowhere,” the policeman declared.
“Well, why did you say it wasn’t allowed here?” she continued. “I thought you were going to tell us of a place where it was allowed.”
Arthur jogged Sylvia’s elbow and whispered to her not to annoy the policeman.
“Come along, now, move on,” the policeman commanded. In order to emphasize his authority he flashed his bull’s-eye in Sylvia’s face. “Where do you live?” he asked, after the scrutiny.