s."

Simon looked down the street, and saw Mr. Munster advancing just
behind two other mill-hands. He was obliged to let Stephen go, but
rage filled his heart.

"I'll pay you out," he muttered, "one of these days." Then he turned
round a side street and disappeared.

And what did Stephen do?

He walked on till he came to a baker's shop, where he bought some
bread; then to a grocer's, where he got sugar, tea, and a candle; and
so on, till his arms and pockets were full of parcels. But the odd
thing was that he bought so much. That was what struck a man--one of
the mill-hands--who was in the shop.

Most of the work-people lived in one particular quarter of the big
city--Fairfax Town it was called in consequence. But Stephen threaded
his way to quite a different part--a much poorer one--and turned into
an old tumble-down house, with all its windows broken and patched,
which had stood empty and deserted until he came to it.

Weeks passed on, and still, in spite of constant persecution, Stephen
remained at the mill. Scarcely any one spoke a kind word to him except
Mr. Fairfax, but he very seldom saw him. Even old Mr. Munster, the
head foreman, addressed him sharply and contemptuously, which was not
his usual custom. The lad did his work well enough, but he was such a
miserable-looking fellow, and so untidy and shabby.

Mr. Munster said something of the sort to Archie one day, when he met
him outside the office, just as Stephen was going away after receiving
his week's wages.

"Yes," replied Archie eagerly; "did you ever see such a scarecrow? But
he has good pay, hasn't he?"

"Yes, Mr. Archie; very good for such a young hand. He has fifteen
shillings a week."

"He drinks--depend upon it he drinks spirits, and that's what gives
him that hang-dog look," said Archie.

"You've never seen him the worse for drink, have you?" asked Mr.
Munster, not unwilling to have an excuse for getting rid of the ragged
stranger.

"Well, I don't know," he answered. "He was leaning up against a wall
the other day when I passed, and when he saw me coming he tried to
stand upright, and he regularly staggered. I could see it was as much
as ever he could do."

"H'm!" said Mr. Munster thoughtfully; "I shall watch him, then. If I
catch him like that at his work, I shall soon send him packing."

"And there's another thing," Archie went on. "What does he do with the
things he buys? What do you think I saw him getting last week?"

"Coul