s of undisguised evil,
and Raymond, on his way back from his friend, had fallen on a
horrible row, in which a toy-selling woman had been set upon, thrown
down and trodden on, and then dragged out by the police, bleeding
and senseless. When he brought Rosamond to the spot, she was lying
propped against a bundle, moaning a little, and guarded by a young
policeman, who looked perplexed and only equal to keeping back the
crowd, who otherwise, with better or worse purposes, would have
rushed back in the few minutes during which Mr. Poynsett had been
absent.

They fell back, staring and uttering expressions of rough wonder at
the advance of the lady in her glistening silk, but as she knelt
down by the poor creature, held her on her arm, bathed her face with
scent on her own handkerchief, and held to her lips the champagne
that Raymond poured out, there was a kind of hoarse cheer.

"I think her arm is put out," said Rosamond; "she ought to go to the
Infirmary."

"Send for a cab," said Raymond to the policeman; but at that moment
the girl opened her eyes, started at the sight of him and tried to
hide her face with her hand.

"It is poor Fanny Reynolds," said he in a low voice to Rosamond,
while the policeman was gruffly telling the woman she was better,
and ought to get up and not trouble the lady; but Rosamond waved off
his too decided assistance, saying:

"I know who she is; she comes from my husband's parish; and I will
take her home. You would like to go home, would you not, poor
Fanny?"

The woman shuddered, but clung to her; and in a minute or two an
unwilling fly had been pressed into the service, and the girl lifted
into it by Raymond and the policeman.

"You are really going with her?" said the former. "You will judge
whether to take her home; but she ought to go to the Infirmary
first."

"Tell Cecil I am sorry to desert her," said Rosamond, as he wrung
her hand, then paid the driver and gave him directions, the
policeman going with them to clear the way through the throng to the
border of the down.

The choice of the cabman had not been happy. He tried to go towards
Backsworth, and when bidden to go to Wil'sbro', growled out an
imprecation, and dashed off at a pace that was evident agony to the
poor patient; but when Rosamond stretched out at the window to
remonstrate, she was answered with rude abuse that he could not be
hindered all day by whims. She perceived that he was so much in
liquor that t