topped--though stop it did at every station--Sam
closed his eyes tightly and shammed sleep, feeling convinced that when
the carriage door was opened, he would hear a rough voice ordering him
to get out, consequent upon his description having been telegraphed all
along the line; and then the door was opened and banged to again after a
man had spoken in a rough voice, but only said jocularly--

"Got room for a little 'un?"

He then squeezed in close to Sam, and proved to be a huge fellow of
about twenty stone.

Every one in the compartment laughed but Sam, who went through the same
agony again and again, till the tickets were taken at Vauxhall, when the
collector looked so much like a detective that the mental suffering was
worse than ever.

Waterloo at last. He was parched with fever; his throat felt dry, and
there was hot coffee waiting at the buffet, such as would relieve the
faintness from which he suffered; but he dared not stop to partake of
it. He hurried out of the great station, and walked fast across the
bridge, and only began to feel more safe when he was amongst the crowd
going and coming in the busy streets.

At last, after dodging in and out in all directions to baffle pursuit,
he jumped into a cab to be taken home, but began to feel the next moment
that if he were pursued it would be known where he had taken refuge.

Taken altogether, Sam Brandon began to taste very bitterly the agonies
of those who break out of straight paths, never having realised till
then how thorny the wrong course was, and how deep the pits and chasms
in the way.

The cabman looked at him peculiarly when he got in, but that was nothing
to the grin which overspread his face when the lad alighted and went up
to the front door; while upon his summons being answered, the maid
saluted him with the expressive words--"Oh, lor!"

"Is my father down yet?" asked Sam.

"No, sir, and it's lucky for you as he ain't. My! he would kick up a
fuss, if he see you such a sight after being out all night."

"Bah!" ejaculated Sam, and he ran up-stairs to his room.

"Bah! indeed," cried the indignant girl; "serve you right if I was to
tell master what time you come home. But I won't."

And there was no need. For Sam had hardly shut himself in before there
was a hand upon the lock of the door, and his father entered in his
dressing-gown, looking haggard and pale, consequent upon a sleepless,
anxious night.

He closed and locked the door,