as fermenting, other events happened, with rather a
contrary tendency; and these will be more intelligible if we go back to
Nancy Rouse's cottage, where indeed we have kept Joseph Wylie in an
uncomfortable position a very long time.

Mrs. James, from next door, was at last admitted into Nancy's kitchen,
and her first word was, "I suppose you know what I'm come about, ma'am."

"Which it is to return me the sasspan you borrowed, no doubt," was
Nancy's ingenuous reply.

"No, ma'am. But I'll send my girl in with it, as soon as she have cleaned
it, you may depend."

"Thank ye, I shall be glad to see it again."

"You're not afeard I shall steal it, I hope?"

'"La, bless the woman! don't fly out at a body like that. I can't afford
to give away my sasspan."

"Sasspans is not in my head."

"Nor in your hand neither."

"I'm come about my lodger; a most respectable gentleman, which he have
met with an accident. He did but go to put something away in the
chimbley, which he is a curious gent, and has traveled a good deal, and
learned the foreign customs, when his hand was caught in the brick-work,
somehows, and there he is hard and fast."

"Do you know anything about this?" said Nancy to the mite, severely.

"No," said the mite, with a countenance of polished granite.

"La bless me" said Nancy, with a sudden start. "Why, is she talking about
the thief as you and I catched putting his hand through the wall into my
room, and made him fast again the policeman comes round?"

"Thief!" cried Mrs. James. "No more a thief than I am. Why, sure you
wouldn't ever be so cruel! Oh, dear! Oh, dear! Spite goes a far length.
There, take an' kill me, do, and then you'll be easy in your mind. Ah,
little my poor father thought as ever I should come down to letting
lodgings, and being maltreated this way! I am--"

"Who is a maltreating of ye? Why, you're dreaming. Have a drop o' gin?"

"With them as takes the police to my lodger? It would choke me."

"Well, have a drop, and we'll see about it."

"You're very kind, ma'am, I'm sure. Heaven knows I need it! Here's
wishing you a good husband; and toward burying all unkindness."

"Which you means drounding of it."

"Ah, you're never at a loss for a word, ma'am, and always in good
spirits. But your troubles is to come. _I'm_ a widdy. You will let me see
what is the matter with my lodger, ma'am?"

"Why not? We'll go and have a look at him."

Accordingly, the three women and the mite p