nd by paying for some coffee and
bread-and-butter, which neither she nor Jack could touch, obtained leave
to sit in shelter till one o'clock.

At five minutes to the hour she rose and hurried to the north end of the
bridge, and stood there, aside from the traffic, shielding little Jack
as much as she could with her umbrella, careless that her own clothing
was getting wet through. Big Ben boomed its one stroke. Minute after
minute passed, and her body seemed still to quiver from the sound. She
was at once feverishly hot and so deadly chill that her teeth clattered
together; her eyes throbbed with the intensity of their gaze into the
distance. The quarter-past was chimed. Jack kept talking to her, but she
could hear nothing. The rain drenched her; the wind was so high that
she with difficulty held the umbrella above the child. Half-past, and no
sign of her husband....

She durst not go away from this spot Her eyes were blind with tears.
A policeman spoke to her; she could only chatter meaningless sounds
between her palsied lips. Jack coughed incessantly, begged to be taken
home. 'I'm so cold, mother, so cold!' 'Only a few minutes more,' she
said. He began to cry, though a brave little soul....

Four o'clock struck.

From Brixton our unconventional friend betook himself straight to
Holloway. Having, as he felt sure, the means of making things decidedly
uncomfortable for Mr. Rodman Williamson, it struck him that the eftest
way would be to declare at once to his brother Richard all he knew and
expected; Dick would not be slow in bestirring himself to make Rodman
smart 'Arry was without false shame; he had no hesitation in facing his
brother. But Mr. Mutimer, he was told, was not at home. Then he would
see Mrs. Mutimer. But the servant was indisposed to admit him, or even
to trouble her mistress. 'Arry had to request her to say that 'Mr.
'Enery Mutimer' desired to see the lady of the house. He chuckled to see
the astonishment produced by his words. Thus he got admittance to Adela.

She was shocked at the sight of him, could find no words, yet gave him
her hand. He told her he wished to see his brother on very particular
business. But Richard would not be back before eight o'clock in the
evening, and it was impossible to say where he could be found. 'Arry
would not tell Adela what brought him, only assured her that it had
nothing to do with his own affairs. He would call again in the evening.
Adela felt inhuman in allowin