y a literal truth. She would much rather have
told a lie, honourably. But she could not remedy that now, without risk.

Another trot sounded from the opposite direction. It was Farmer
Costrell's cart, and Ruth was in it, driven by her son-in-law. She was
bringing some evergreens to place upon the body. Too anxious to remain
in ignorance about her daughter, she had walked over to Denby's while it
was still almost dark, and had found a new granddaughter and its mother,
both doing well.

"And ne'er a soul would I have seen either way," said she, "if it had
not been for a tramp a few steps down the road, who set me thinking it
was as well I was not alone, by the looks of him. Yes--thank your
ladyship--I got some sleep, till after five o'clock. Then I could not be
easy till I knew about my child. But all has gone well, God be thanked!"

It was the only time she ever saw that brother, and she never knew it
was he.

CHAPTER XXIX

HOW MICKY BECAME A LINKBOY. HIS IDEAS ON INVESTMENTS. DOG FOUND. NO
SAFETY LIKE A THICK FOG. OLD MR. NIXON. HIS SELF-RESTRAINT, WIX'S
MESSAGE. JULIA'S DILEMMA. HER VIEWS ON MARRIAGE LINES. DAMN LAWFUL
POLLY! HOW MICKY'S MOTHER HELPED HIM TO DELIVER HIS MESSAGE. OUR
OLD LADY--GONE! WHO WILL TELL DAVE AND DOLLY? HOW PUSSY WAS THE
OTHERS. HOW MO DID NOT STOP AT THE SUN. A VISITOR IN HIS ABSENCE.
THE END

The irresolute winter only wavered some forty-eight hours, setting to
work in earnest on the second day after Christmas Day, following on
suggestions of seasonableness on Boxing Day. London awoke to a dense fog
and a hard frost, and its spirits went up. Its citizens became possessed
with an unnatural cheerfulness, as is their wont when they cannot
breathe without choking, when the gas has to be lighted at what should
be the hour of daybreak, when the vapour lies thick in places, and will
not move from contact; though now and again the darkness, where the sky
was once, seems at odds with a languid something, that may be light,
beyond. Then, fires within, heaped with fresh coal, regardless of
expense, to keep the fog at bay, contribute more and more through
chimney-pots without to the unspeakable opacities overhead, and each
seeming ultimatum of blackness is followed by another blacker still.
Then, while timid persons think the last day has come, the linkboys
don't care whether it has or not, and enjoy themselves intensely.

A good example of the former cl