s
in life imperilled. Do you promise?"

"Sir, I'll niver,--niver tell."

"You must promise more strongly than that--the others must be
witnesses."

"Oh, sir--oh, sir! you must trust me. Don't call the others in; let me
promise to you, yer lone self, an' I will keep my word."

The strange man with the strange eyes looked long for a full minute into
Connie's face.

"I could have been good to you," he said, "and what I had to offer was
not altogether contemptible. But it somehow wouldn't have fitted in with
my memory of Eleanor, who went back to God at eleven years of age, very
pure in heart, and just like a little child. 'Of such is the Kingdom of
Heaven.' Those are the words which mark her little grave in a distant
part of the country. If you will follow in her steps, and be pure and
good in heart and life, you may meet my Eleanor in another world. And
perhaps you may be able to tell her that I--a man given over to extreme
wickedness--did one kind deed for her sake when I gave you back to your
friends."

"Sir----"

"Not another word. I am a man of moods, and I might recant what I have
just said."

Simeon Stylites sounded a little gong on the table. Agnes came hurriedly
in.

"Fetch this child's hat and jacket," said the great man imperatively.

Agnes brought them.

"Be I to take her out, sir?" she said.

"No. And listen. This child isn't for us; let her alone in future.--Are
you ready, Connie?"

"Yus, sir."

Simeon Stylites put on the most gentlemanly overcoat and a well-brushed
silk hat, and he took a neat stick in his hand and went boldly out of
the house. As soon as ever he got outside he saw a hansom, and beckoned
the driver. He and Connie got in.

They went for a long drive, and Stylites dismissed the hansom in a
distant part of the town.

"You wouldn't know your way back again?" he said to the girl.

"No, sir; an' ef I knew I wouldn't tell."

"Well, then--good-bye."

"Good-bye, sir."

"Yes, good-bye. Walk down this street till you come to the end. Here's a
shilling--you'll get a hansom; ask a policeman to put you in. From there
go home again, and forget that you ever saw or heard of Simeon
Stylites."

CHAPTER XXI.

SAFE HOME AT LAST.

When Harris parted from Sue he ran quickly in his cowardly flight. He
did not stay his fleet steps until he had gained a very quiet street.
Then, knowing that he was now quite safe, he exchanged his running for a
rapid walk. He suddenly rememb