--you don't think so,'
wildly cried the poor little lady, growing quite white with terror and
agony.

'Now, pray, my dear Mistress Sturk, compose yourself, and hear me out:
'Tis my belief he has a chance; but none, absolutely _no_ chance, Madam,
unless my advice be taken. There's not an evening, Ma'am, I meet Doctor
Toole at the club, but I hear the same report--a little lower--always
the same--lower--sinking--and _no hope_.'

Here Mrs. Sturk broke out again.

'Now, Madam,' I protest you'll make me regret my visit, unless you
please to command yourself. While the doctors who are about him have got
him in hands, there's neither hope for his life, nor for his recovering,
for one moment, the use of his speech. Pray, Madam, hear me. They state
as much themselves. Now, Madam, I say, we must have a chance for his
life, and if that fails, a chance for his speech. The latter, Madam, is
of more consequence than, perhaps, you are aware.'

Poor little Mrs. Sturk was looking very pale, and breathing very hard,
with her hand pressed to her heart.

'I've done what I could, you know, to see my way through his affairs,
and I've succeeded in keeping his creditors quiet.'

At this point poor Mrs. Sturk broke out--

'Oh! may the Father of the fatherless, if such they are to be bless and
reward--oh--oh--ho--ho, Mr. Dangerfield--oh--oh-oh--Sir.'

'Now, pray, Madam, oblige me and be tranquil. I say, Madam, his affairs,
I suspect, are by no means in so bad a case as we at first supposed, and
he has got, or I'm mistaken, large sums out, but where, neither I nor
you can tell. Give him five minutes' speech, and it may be worth a
thousand pounds to you--well, not to you, if you will, but to his
children. And again, Madam, 'tis of the utmost importance that
he should be able to state who was the villain who struck
him--Charles--a--Charles--Mr. Nutter--you know, Madam.'

'Oh! that dreadful--dreadful man--may Heaven forgive him. Oh, my Barney!
look at him there--he'd forgive him if he could speak. You would, my
blessed Barney--you would.'

'To be sure he would. But see, Ma'am, the importance of having his
evidence to settle the fact. Well, I know that he would not like to hang
anybody. But suppose, Ma'am, Charles Nutter is innocent, don't you think
he'd like to acquit him? ay, you do. Well, Ma'am, 'tis due to the
public, you see, and to his children that he should have a chance of
recovering his speech, and to common humanity that he sho