shut up, and I was unable to enter, as Bell refused to see
me. The shock of your evil deed has made your wife so ill that her life
is despaired of. Bell is by her bedside night and day, so this is no
time for me to talk of marriage. But I give you my word of honour, that
in spite of the disgrace you have brought upon her, Bell shall be my
wife.'

Mosk burst out crying like a child. 'God bless you, Mr Pendle!' he
sobbed, catching at Gabriel's hand. 'You have lifted a weight off my
heart. I don't care if I do swing now; I daresay I deserve to swing, but
as long as she's all right!--my poor gal! It's a sore disgrace to her.
And Susan, too. Susan's dyin', y' say! Well, it's my fault; but if I've
sinned I've got to pay a long price for it.'

'Alas! alas! the wages of sin is death.'

'I don't want religion, I tell 'ee,' said Mosk, drying his eyes; 'I've
lived bad and I'll die bad.' 'Mosk! Mosk! even at the eleventh hour--'

'That's all right, Mr Pendle; I know all about th' 'leventh hour, and
repentance and the rest of th' rot. Stow it, sir, and listen. You'll
keep true to my gal?'

'On the honour of a gentleman. I love her; she is as dear to me now as
she ever was.'

'That's wot I expected y' to say, sir. Y' allays wos a gentleman. Now
you 'ark, Mr Pendle; I knows all about that mar--'

'Don't speak of it!' interrupted Gabriel, with a shudder.

'I ain't goin' to, sir. His lor'ship 'ave the papers I took from him as
I did for; so no one but yerself an' yer father knows about 'em. I
sha'n't breathe a word about that Krant marriage to a single, solitary
soul, and when I dies the secret will die with me. You're actin' square
by my poor gal, sir, so I'm agoin' to act square by you. It ain't for me
to cover with shame the name as you're goin' to give my Bell.'

'Thank you!' gasped Gabriel, whose emotion at this promise was so great
that he could hardly speak, 'thank you!'

'I don' need no thanks, sir; you're square, an' I'm square. So now as
I've got that orf m' mind you'd better go. I ain't fit company for the
likes of you.'

'Let me say a prayer, Mosk?'

'No, sir; it's too late to pray for me.'

Gabriel raised his hand solemnly. 'As Christ liveth, it is not too late.
Though your sins be as--'

'Goo'bye,' interrupted Mosk, and throwing himself on his bed, he turned
his face to the wall. Not another word of confession or repentance could
Gabriel get him to speak. Nevertheless, the clergyman knelt down on the
chil