er stop, and
added in a lower voice, 'Say you'll marry me, and I'll stop it from
to-night.'

'I've told you already I shan't do nothing of the kind. So don't be
silly! You can be sensible enough if you like, and then I can get along
well enough with you.'

'Very well, then I'll drink for another week, and then be off to
Canada.'

'You'd better go at once, I should think.'

She had moved a little apart from him. Just then a half-drunken fellow
came along the pavement, and in a freak caught Totty about the waist.
Ackroyd was in the very mood for an incident of this kind. In an
instant he had planted so direct a blow that the fellow staggered back
into the gutter, Totty with difficulty preventing herself from being
dragged with him. The thoroughfare was crowded, street urchins ran
together with yells of anticipatory delight, and maturer loafers formed
the wonted ring even before the man assaulted had recovered himself.
Then came the play of fists; Ackroyd from the first had far the best of
it, but the other managed to hold his ground.

And the result of it was that in something less than a quarter of an
hour from his leaving the music-hall, Ackroyd found himself on the way
to the police-station, his adversary following in the care of a second
constable, all the way loudly accusing him of being the assailant.

Totty walked in the rear of the crowd; she had been frightened by the
scene of violence, and there were marks of tears on her cheeks. She
entered the station, eager to get a hearing for a plain story. Ackroyd
turned and saw her.

'It's no good saying anything now,' he said to her. 'This blackguard
has plenty more lies ready. Go to the house and tell my brother-in-law,
will you? I dare say he'll come and be bail.'

She went at once, and ran all the way to Paradise Street, so that when
in reply to her knock Mrs. Poole appeared at the door, she had to wait
yet a moment before her breath would suffice for speaking. She did not
know Mrs. Poole.

'I've got a message from Mr. Ackroyd for Mr. Poole,' she said.

The other was alarmed.

'What's happened now?' she inquired. 'I'm Mrs. Poole, Mr. Ackroyd's
sister.'

Totty lowered her voice, and explained rapidly what had come to pass.
Mrs. Poole eyed her throughout with something more than suspicion.

'And who may you be, if you please?' she asked at the end.

'I'm Miss Nancarrow.'

'I'm not much wiser. Thank you. I'll let Mr. Poole know.'

She closed the doo