solved to ruin--ay, whom he had ruined, to all
appearance.

"But there is a Deliverer in this case," continued the preacher.
"`Jesus Christ came to seek and to save the _lost_;' to pluck us all as
brands from the burning; to save us from the fire of sin, of impurity,
of drink! Oh, friends, will you not accept the Saviour--"

"Yes! yes!" shouted Bones, in an irresistible burst of feeling, "I _do_
accept Him!"

Every eye was turned at once on the speaker, who stood looking fixedly
upwards, as though unaware of the sensation he had created. The
interruption, however, was only momentary.

"Thanks be to God!" said the preacher. "There is joy among the angels
of heaven over one sinner that repenteth."

Then, not wishing to allow attention to be diverted from his message, he
continued his discourse with such fervour that the people soon forgot
the interrupter, and Bones forgot them and himself and his friend, in
contemplation of the "Great Salvation."

When the meeting was over he hurried out into the open air. Aspel
followed, but lost him in the crowd. After searching a few minutes
without success, he returned to Archangel Court without him.

The proud youth was partly subdued, though not overcome. He had heard
things that night which he had never heard before, as well as many
things which, though heard before, had never made such an impression as
then. Lighting the remnant of the candle in the pint-bottle, he pulled
out the little book which he had purchased, and began to read, and ever
as he read there seemed to start up the words, "It is God who giveth us
the victory." At last he came to the page on which the prescription for
drunkards is printed in detail. He read it with much interest and some
hope, though, of course, being ignorant of medicine, it conveyed no
light to his mind.

"I'll try it at all events," he muttered in a somewhat desponding tone;
"but I've tried before now to break off the accursed habit without
success, and have my doubts of this, for--"

He paused, for the words, "It is God that giveth us the victory," leaped
again to his mind with tenfold power.

Just then there arose a noise of voices in the court. Presently the
sound of many footsteps was heard in the passage. The shuffling feet
stopped at the door, and some one knocked loudly.

With a strange foreboding at his heart, Aspel leaped up and opened it.

Four men entered, bearing a stretcher. They placed it gently on the low