she was implacable. With the boy held to her bosom as if to shield him
from Gill, she stood erect and pointed to the door.

"Go!"

It was a stern command.

She met his appealing look with unyielding gaze.

Slowly he walked to the door.

"Wait!" she called.

He paused, but did not turn.

"Have you any money?"

"Yes," he replied eagerly, and came back to her, a roll of bills in his
extended hand.

"Give it to Levi."

"So much is mine, Levi," and she named an amount, remembering to a cent
how much of his money she had spent.

Levi counted the sum, making change from his pocket.

Matthi and Cassi stood near the door, looking on in amazement. Parson
Lawrence leaned against a table. Peter McAnay sat with his face buried
in his hands. Hunch walked nervously around the room, while Blind Benner
waited near Lizzi, hoping she would speak to him.

Levi returned the balance of the money to Gill; he proffered it to
Lizzi.

"Not a cent," she said proudly. "The money you gave Levi is what I spent
of his savin's, when I thought I was your wife; but not a cent of your
money will I take from this on. I'll scrub and wash for a livin', if I
must, and Benner, here, will help take care of little Peter. Now go!"

Compelled to give vent to her feelings, she impulsively kissed Blind
Benner. His hand was across her eyes as he lovingly felt her face, and
she did not see Gill pass through the door.

CHAPTER XIX.

BLIND BENNER SEES LIZZI.

When Gill left Lizzi he was her subject; and no exile, however long,
could diminish his loyalty to her. All his mature years he had been a
libertine, cold, clever, selfish. No thrill except that of passion had
stirred his blood, quickened his pulses; yet they beat quickly now as he
stood outside of the home whose threshold he dared not cross. In his
despair he loved the woman whom he had wronged.

A hard gripe was fastened on his collar. He closed his eyes and hoped he
had been seized by one of her brothers who meant to kill him.

"Stop with me ter-night, Gill."

It was Henry Myers who spoke.

Gill was bewildered; the hubbub about him increasing his confusion.

"I will sleep in the bed of the river," he replied with a laugh. Then
seeing Bill Kellar, he continued: "Take me home with you, Bill; fiddle
up the devil and get him to grab me."

His humiliation was complete.

Henry gave him a push, and he walked along meekly, Hunch following close
to his heels, and the crowd straggling