ever known the worth of his. How priceless it appeared!

'I did hope once,' said Joe, in his homely way, 'that I might come back
a rich man, and marry you. But I was a boy then, and have long known
better than that. I am a poor, maimed, discharged soldier, and must
be content to rub through life as I can. I can't say, even now, that I
shall be glad to see you married, Dolly; but I AM glad--yes, I am, and
glad to think I can say so--to know that you are admired and courted,
and can pick and choose for a happy life. It's a comfort to me to know
that you'll talk to your husband about me; and I hope the time will come
when I may be able to like him, and to shake hands with him, and to
come and see you as a poor friend who knew you when you were a girl. God
bless you!'

His hand DID tremble; but for all that, he took it away again, and left
her.

Chapter 73

By this Friday night--for it was on Friday in the riot week, that Emma
and Dolly were rescued, by the timely aid of Joe and Edward Chester--the
disturbances were entirely quelled, and peace and order were restored
to the affrighted city. True, after what had happened, it was impossible
for any man to say how long this better state of things might last, or
how suddenly new outrages, exceeding even those so lately witnessed,
might burst forth and fill its streets with ruin and bloodshed; for
this reason, those who had fled from the recent tumults still kept at
a distance, and many families, hitherto unable to procure the means
of flight, now availed themselves of the calm, and withdrew into the
country. The shops, too, from Tyburn to Whitechapel, were still shut;
and very little business was transacted in any of the places of great
commercial resort. But, notwithstanding, and in spite of the melancholy
forebodings of that numerous class of society who see with the greatest
clearness into the darkest perspectives, the town remained profoundly
quiet. The strong military force disposed in every advantageous quarter,
and stationed at every commanding point, held the scattered fragments
of the mob in check; the search after rioters was prosecuted with
unrelenting vigour; and if there were any among them so desperate and
reckless as to be inclined, after the terrible scenes they had beheld,
to venture forth again, they were so daunted by these resolute measures,
that they quickly shrunk into their hiding-places, and had no thought
but for their safety.

In a word, th