efore dark, my darling?" said Mrs Lane, tenderly.

"Oh yes," cried Netta, excitedly. "Mr Lloyd will take such care of me;
but--"

The joy faded out of her countenance, and she clung to her mother,
looking from her to the work.

"What is it, my dear?" said Mrs Lane, stroking her soft dark hair.

"It's cruel to go and leave you here at work," sobbed the girl.

"What! when you are going to get strength, and coming back more ready to
help me?" said Mrs Lane, cheerfully. "There, go along! Take care of
her, Mr Lloyd."

Richard had been to the head of the stairs, and spoken to Sam, who was
already on his box; and as the young man offered his arm, Netta took it,
with the warm, soft blush returning, and she stole a look of timid love
at the tall, handsome man who was to be her protector.

The next minute she was in the cab, Richard had taken his place at her
side, and Sam essayed to start as the good-bye nods were given.

"Lor!" said Mrs Jenkles, her woman's instinct coming to the fore, "what
a lovely pair they do make!"

At the same moment, on the opposite side of the way, a lady with a
widow's cap cocked back on her head, gazed from behind a curtain, wiped
her eyes on a piece of crape, and said, with a sigh--

"And him the handsomest and quietest lodger I ever had!"

Meanwhile, in answer to every appeal from Sam Jenkles, Ratty was laying
his ears back, wagging his tail, and biting at nothing.

"Don't you be skeared, Miss," said Sam, through the little roof-trap,
"it's on'y his fun. Get on with yer, Ratty--I'm blowed if I aint
ashamed on yer. Jest ketch hold of his head, and lead him arf a dozen
yards, will yer, mate?" he continued, addressing a man, after they had
struggled to the end of the street. "Thanky."

For the leading had the desired effect, and Ratty went off at a trot to
Pentonville Hill.

"Blest if I don't believe that was Barney," said Sam to himself, looking
back, and he was quite right, for that gentleman it was; and as soon as
the cab was out of sight he had taken a puppy out of one pocket of his
velveteen coat, looked at it, put it back, and then slouched off to
where he could take an omnibus, on whose roof he rode to Piccadilly,
where he descended, made his way into Jermyn Street, and then stopping
at a private house, rang softly, took the puppy out of his pocket, a
dirty card from another, and waited till the door was answered.

"Tell the captain as I've brought the dawg," he said to th