the dearest has done much to make Englishmen--what they are."

"The railway comp'nies keeps 'orspittles for the like of 'IM," said the
man, with a cunning laugh, indicating the horse by smacking him on the
belly with the butt of the whip. "If ever you try bein' a laborer in
earnest, governor, try it on four legs. You'll find it far preferable to
trying on two."

"This man is one of my converts," said Trefusis apart to Henrietta.
"He told me the other day that since I set him thinking he never sees a
gentleman without feeling inclined to heave a brick at him. I find that
socialism is often misunderstood by its least intelligent supporters
and opponents to mean simply unrestrained indulgence of our natural
propensity to heave bricks at respectable persons. Now I am going to
carry you along this plank. If you keep quiet, we may reach the barge.
If not, we shall reach the bottom of the canal."

He carried her safely over, and exchanged some friendly words with the
bargee. Then he took Henrietta forward, and stood watching the water
as they were borne along noiselessly between the hilly pastures of the
country.

"This would be a fairy journey," he said, "if one could forget the woman
down below, cooking her husband's dinner in a stifling hole about as big
as your wardrobe, and--"

"Oh, don't talk any more of these things," she said crossly; "I cannot
help them. I have my own troubles to think of. HER husband lives with
her."

"She will change places with you, my dear, if you make her the offer."

She had no answer ready. After a pause he began to speak poetically of
the scenery and to offer her loverlike speeches and compliments. But she
felt that he intended to get rid of her, and he knew that it was useless
to try to hide that design from her. She turned away and sat down on a
pile of bricks, only writhing angrily when he pressed her for a word.
As they neared the end of her voyage, and her intense protest against
desertion remained, as she thought, only half expressed, her sense of
injury grew almost unbearable.

They landed on a wharf, and went through an unswept, deeply-rutted lane
up to the main street of Lyvern. Here he became Smilash again, walking
deferentially a little before her, as if she had hired him to point out
the way. She then saw that her last opportunity of appealing to him had
gone by, and she nearly burst into tears at the thought. It occurred to
her that she might prevail upon him by making a