the effects of drink, besides being partly
concealed by his matted hair.

"What a wretched spectacle!" exclaimed the young man, touching the heap
with his foot as he turned away in disgust.

Just then a woman with a black eye entered the room with a black bottle
in her hand. She was the woman who had refused the beer from Aspel.

"Mother," said Tottie, running up to her, "here's the gent who--"

"'Av-'ee-go'-th'-gin?" growled a deep voice from the dark corner.

"Yes, Abel--"

"'Ave 'ee got th' gin, I say, Molly?" roared the voice in rising wrath.

"Yes, yes, Abel, here it is," exclaimed the woman, hastening towards the
corner.

The savage who lay there was so eager to obtain the bottle that he made
a snatch at it and let it slip on the stone floor, where it was broken
to pieces.

"O don't, Abel dear, don't! I'll get another," pleaded the poor woman;
but Abel's disappointment was too great for endurance; he managed to
rise, and made a wild blow at the woman,--missed her, and staggered into
the middle of the room. Here he encountered the stern glance of George
Aspel. Being a dark, stern man himself, with a bulky powerful frame, he
rather rejoiced in the sight of a man who seemed a worthy foe.

"What d'ee wan' here, you long-legged--hah! would you?" he added, on
observing Aspel's face flush and his fists close, "Take that!"

He struck out at his adversary's face with tremendous violence. Aspel
parried the blow and returned it with such good-will that Abel Bones
went headlong into the dark corner whence he had risen,--and lay there.

"I'm _very_ sorry," said the instantly-repentant George, turning to Mrs
Bones, "but I couldn't help it; really, I--"

"There, there; go away, sir, and thank you kindly," said the unfortunate
woman, urging--almost pushing--her visitor towards the door. "It'll do
'im good, p'r'aps. He don't get that every day, an' it won't 'urt 'im."

Aspel found himself suddenly in the dark passage, and heard the door
slammed. His first impulse was to turn, dash in the door with his foot,
and take vengeance on Abel Bones, his next to burst into a sardonic
laugh. Thereafter he frowned fiercely, and strode away. In doing so he
drew himself up with sea-king-like dignity and assaulted a beam, which
all but crushed his hat over his eyes. This did not improve his temper,
but the beer had not yet robbed him of all self-control; he stooped to
conquer and emerged into the street.

Well was it