and true a friend in any young
woman as you had in me? Many a man has saved a woman's life, but it
isn't often that a woman fights for a man, and gets the upper hand: yet
you gave me nothing in return; not even your confidence. Look the truth
in the face, my lad; all your trouble, and all hers, comes of your
sneaking out of Hillsborough in that daft way, without a word to me, the
true friend, that was next door to you; which I nearly lost my life by
your fault; for, if you had told me, I should have seen you off, and
so escaped a month's hospital, and other troubles that almost drove
me crazy. Don't you abuse that poor young lady before me, or I sha'n't
spare you. She is more to be pitied than you are. Folk should look at
home for the cause of their troubles; her misery, and yours, it is all
owing to your own folly and ingratitude; ay, you may look; I mean what I
say--ingratitude."

The attack was so sudden and powerful that Henry Little was staggered
and silenced; but an unexpected defender appeared on the scene; one of
the folding-doors was torn open, and Grace darted in.

"How dare you say it is his fault, poor ill-used angel! No, no, no, no,
I am the only one to blame. I didn't love you as you deserved. I tried
to die for you, and FAILED. I tried to kill that monster for you, and
FAILED. I am too weak and silly; I shall only make you more unhapppy.
Give me one kiss, my own darling, and then kill me out of the way." With
this she was over his knees and round his neck in a moment, weeping, and
clutching him with a passionate despair that melted all his anger away,
and soon his own tears tell on her like rain.

"Ah, Grace! Grace!" he sobbed, "how could you? how could you?"

"Don't speak unkindly to her," cried Jael, "or she won't be alive a day.
She is worse off than you are; and so is he too."

"You mock me; he is her husband. He can make her live with him. He
can--" Here he broke out cursing and blaspheming, and called Grace
a viper, and half thrust her away from him with horror, and his face
filled with jealous anguish: he looked like a man dying of poison.

Then he rose to his feet, and said, with a sort of deadly calm, "Where
can I find the man?"

"Not in this house, you may be sure," said Jael; "nor in any house where
she is."

Henry sank into his seat again, and looked amazed.

"Tell him all," said Grace. "Don't let him think I do not love him at
all."

"I will," said Jael. "Well, the wedding was at