protected me. I'm sure it has been worth all I've gone through a
thousand times over, to have learnt what he has taught me in this
trouble,--a lesson of trust and love. But I will come and see you
again, Ned; you have had talking enough for one time."

The vicar also called on the sufferer frequently, and was glad to find
him humble, patient, and willing to receive instruction. But it was to
Thomas Bradly that the poor man seemed specially drawn, and to him he
felt that he could open all his heart.

"I've summat on my mind, Thomas, as I wants to talk to you about," he
said to Bradly one day when they were left quite alone; it was about a
week after the return home of Dr and Mrs Prosser. The sick man was
able to sit up in a chair by the fire, though the doctor gave no hope of
any real or lasting improvement. Through the kindness of his friends
his cottage had partly lost its comfortless appearance, and himself, his
wife, and children had been provided with sufficient food and clothing.
Yet the stamp of death was on the poor patient's wasted features, and a
racking cough tried him terribly at times. But his mind was quite
clear, and he had begun to see his way to pardon and peace, though it
was with but a trembling hand that his faith laid hold of the offered
salvation.

"What is it that you want to tell me?" asked Bradly cheerfully.

"I'll tell you, Thomas: I know I'm a dying man, and it's all right it
should be so; I've brought it upon myself, more's the sin, and more's
the pity."

"Nay, Ned, take heart, man; you'll come round yet, and be spared to set
a good example."

The sick man shook his head, and then broke out into a violent fit of
coughing. "It's pulling me to pieces," he said, when he could recover
himself; "but I shall be happier if I can just tell you, Thomas, what's
on my mind. It ain't about any of the wicked things as I've done, but I
shall be better content when I've told you all about it. You remember
the night as poor Joe Wright met his death on the line last December?
Well, I'd summat to do with that."

"You, Ned!"

"Nay, Thomas, I don't mean as I'd any hand in killing him--it were his
own doing; but I were mixed up with the matter in a way, and I thought
I'd tell you all about it, as you're a prudent man as won't go talking
about it; and I shall get it off my mind, for it's been a-troubling me
for months past."

"Go on, Ned."

"Well, then, it were that same evening, two days afo