ut.

Effie entered. She found herself in a small bright room. The gas was
turned full on; one of the windows was open--a fresh breeze from the
river came in. George was seated on a horse-hair sofa at the farthest
end of the room. He held a small walking-stick in his hand, and was
making imaginary patterns with it on the carpet. His shoulders were
hitched up to his ears, his eyes were fixed on the ground. Effie looked
at him. She said:

"George, I am here--I have come."

He did not make any response. She gave a little cry when he took no
notice of her, and sank down helplessly on the nearest chair.

Lawson strode across the room and grasped George's shoulder.

"Look here, Staunton," he said; "you have got to pull yourself together.
I have brought your sister here to consult what is best to be done. Look
up, old chap! Take courage--all isn't lost yet. Now try and tell your
sister everything."

"I have nothing to tell her," said George--he raised two lackluster eyes
and fixed them with a sort of dull stare on Lawson's face.

"Don't talk folly--you have to tell her what you told me. You know the
position you are in--you may be arrested at any moment. No one can help
you but your sister; don't turn away from her."

"Oh, I understand all that," said George, shrugging his shoulder out of
Lawson's grip. "I know well enough what has happened--I have gone under.
I'm only one more. I--I can't help it--I have nothing to say."

Lawson looked at the big fellow almost in despair. He was really puzzled
what to do. This was the moment, however, for Effie to take the
initiative. She sprang suddenly to her feet, dashed the tears from her
eyes, and went up to her brother. She fell on her knees by his side, and
put her soft arms round his neck.

"Think of the old days, Geordie," she said, "when we were both little
children. Think of mother and father, and the little old house, and the
apple tree in the garden. Don't you remember the day when that ripe red
apple fell, and we ate it bite about?"

When Effie began to speak, George trembled. He avoided her eyes for a
moment longer, then he gave her a quick, furtive glance.

changed voice. "Before God, I couldn't help it."
a changed voice. "Before God, I couldn't help it."
[Transcriber's note: These two fragmented lines appear, as shown,
at this point in the original text.]

Lawson stepped softly out of the room.

The moment he had done so, George said eagerly:

"He has told y