meeting-houses open, he staggered in, in the
vain hope of comfort which he knew he did not deserve.

In half-an-hour Tom was down the street again to Headley's. "Where is
Miss Harvey?"

"At the Beers'."

"She must go up to Heale's instantly. The mother will die. Those cases
of panic seldom recover. And Miss Heale may very likely follow her. She
has shrieked and sobbed herself into it, poor fool! and Grace must go to
her at once; she may bring her to common sense and courage, and that is
the only chance."

Grace went, and literally talked and prayed Miss Heale into life again.

"You are an angel," said Tom to her that very evening, when he found the
girl past danger.

"Mr. Thurnall!" said Grace, in a tone of sad and most meaning reproof.

"But you are! And these owls are not worthy of you."

"This is no time for such language, sir! After all, what am I doing more
than you?" And Grace went upstairs again, with a cold hard countenance
which belied utterly the heart within.

That was the critical night of all. The disease seemed to have done its
worst in the likeliest spots: but cases of panic increased all the
afternoon; and the gross number was greater than ever.

Tom did not delay inquiring into the cause: and he discovered it.
Headley, coming out the next morning, after two hours' fitful sleep, met
him at the gate: his usual business-like trot was exchanged for a fierce
and hurried stamp. When he saw Frank, he stopped short, and burst out
into a story which was hardly intelligible, so interlarded was it with
oaths.

"For Heaven's sake! Thurnall, calm yourself, and do not swear so
frightfully; it is so unlike you! What can have upset you thus?"

"Why should I not curse and swear in the street," gasped he, "while
every fellow who calls himself a preacher is allowed to do it in the
pulpit with impunity! Fine him five shillings for every curse, as you
might if people had courage and common sense, and then complain of me! I
am a fool, I know, though. But I cannot stand it! To have all my work
undone by a brutal ignorant fanatic!--It is too much! Here, if you will
believe it, are those preaching fellows getting up a revival, or some
such invention, just to make money out of the cholera! They have got
down a great gun from the county town. Twice a-day they are preaching at
them, telling them that it is all God's wrath against their sins; that
it is impious to interfere, and that I am fighting against God, and the