nged, that more than one policeman advised him, quite
in a friendly way, to "move on."

Apparently, however, Phil turned over no profit, on this business, and
was about to return home supperless to bed, when he suddenly observed
smoke issuing from an upper window. Rare and lucky chance! He was the
first to observe it. He knew that the first who should convey the alarm
of fire to a fire-station would receive a shilling for his exertions.
He dashed off at once, had the firemen brought to the spot in a few
minutes, so that the fire was easily and quickly overcome. Thus honest
Phil Sparks earned his supper, and the right to go home and lay his head
on his pillow, with the happy consciousness of having done a good action
to his fellow-men, and performed a duty to the public and himself.

CHAPTER FOUR.

It is probable that there is not in all the wide world a man--no matter
how depraved, or ill-favoured, or unattractive--who cannot find some
sympathetic soul, some one who will be glad to see him and find more or
less pleasure in his society. Coarse in body and mind though Philip
Sparks was, there dwelt a young woman, in one of the poorest of the poor
streets in the neighbourhood of Thames Street, who loved him, and would
have laid down her life for him.

To do Martha Reading justice, she had fallen in love with Sparks before
intemperance had rendered his countenance repulsive and his conduct
brutal. When, perceiving the power he had over her, he was mean enough
to borrow and squander the slender gains she made by the laborious work
of dress-making--compared to which coal-heaving must be mere child's
play--she experienced a change in her feelings towards him, which she
could not easily understand or define. Her thoughts of him were mingled
with intense regrets and anxieties, and she looked forward to his visits
with alarm. Yet those thoughts were not the result of dying affection;
she felt quite certain of that, having learned from experience that,
"many waters cannot quench love."

One evening, about eight o'clock, Phil Sparks, having prosecuted his
"business" up to that hour without success, tapped at the door of
Martha's garret and entered without waiting for permission; indeed, his
tapping at all was a rather unwonted piece of politeness.

"Come in, Phil," said Martha, rising and shaking hands, after which she
resumed her work.

"You seem busy to-night," remarked Sparks, sitting down on a broken
chair b