y wife's music, when a servant entered
to tell me that a woman wanted to see me. I went out into the passage to
find waiting there a tall buxom lass of about five-and-twenty years of
age. She was poorly dressed, but in a great state of excitement.

"'Are you Mr. Wetherell?' she said; 'the gentleman as defended China
Pete in the trial the other day?'

"'I am,' I answered. 'What can I do for you? I hope China Pete is not in
trouble again?'

"'He's in a worse trouble this time, sir,' said the woman. 'He's dyin',
and he sent me to fetch you to 'im before he goes.'

"'But what does he want me for?' I asked rather suspiciously.

"'I'm sure I dunno,' was the girl's reply. 'But he's been callin' for
you all this blessed day: "Send for Mr. Wetherell! send for Mr.
Wetherell!" So off I came, when I got back from work, to fetch you. If
you're comin', sir, you'd best be quick, for he won't last till
mornin'.'

"'Very well, I'll come with you at once,' I said. Then, having told my
wife not to sit up for me, I followed my strange messenger out of the
house.

"For nearly an hour we walked on and on, plunging deeper into the lower
quarter of the town. All through the march my guide maintained a rigid
silence, walking a few paces ahead, and only recognizing the fact that I
was following her by nodding in a certain direction whenever we arrived
at cross thoroughfares or interlacing lanes.

"At last we arrived at the street she wanted. At the corner she came
suddenly to a standstill, and putting her two first fingers into her
mouth blew a shrill whistle, after the fashion of street boys. A moment
later a shock-headed urchin about ten years old made his appearance from
a dark alley and came towards us. The woman said something to him, which
I did not catch, and then turning sharply to her left hand beckoned to
me to follow her.

"From the street itself we passed, by way of a villainous alley, into a
large courtyard, where brooded a silence like that of death. Indeed, a
more weird and desolate place I don't remember ever to have met with.
Not a soul was to be seen, and though it was surrounded by houses, only
two feeble lights showed themselves. Towards one of these my guide made
her way, stopping on the threshold. Upon a panel she rapped with her
fingers, and as she did so a window on the first floor opened, and the
boy we had met in the street looked out.

"'How many?' inquired the woman, who had brought me, in a loud whisper.