ess of men.

She was awakened from a doze by a knocking at the street-door. It was
just eight o'clock, and, inwardly congratulating her husband on his
return to common sense and home, she went down and opened it. Two tall
men in silk hats entered the room.

"Mrs. Scutts?" said one of them.

Mrs. Scutts, in a dazed fashion, nodded.

"We have come to see your husband," said the intruder. "I am a doctor."

The panic-stricken Mrs. Scutts tried in vain to think.

"He-he's asleep," she said, at last.

"Doesn't matter," said the doctor.

"Not a bit," said his companion.

"You--you can't see him," protested Mrs. Scutts. "He ain't to be seen."

"He'd be sorry to miss me," said the doctor, eyeing her keenly as she
stood on guard by the inner door. "I suppose he's at home?"

"Of course," said Mrs. Scutts, stammering and flushing. "Why, the pore
man can't stir from his bed."

"Well, I'll just peep in at the door, then," said the doctor. "I won't
wake him. You can't object to that. If you do--"

Mrs. Scutts's head began to swim. "I'll go up and see whether he's
awake," she said.

She closed the door on them and stood with her hand to her throat,
thinking. Then, instead of going upstairs, she passed into the yard
and, stepping over the fence, opened Mr. Flynn's back door.

"Halloa!" said that gentleman, who was standing in the scullery
removing mud from his boots. "What's up?"

In a frenzied gabble Mrs. Scutts told him. "You must be 'im," she said,
clutching him by the coat and dragging him towards the door. "They've
never seen 'im, and they won't know the difference."

"But--" exclaimed the astonished James.

"Quick!" she said, sharply. "Go into the back room and undress, then
nip into his room and get into bed. And mind, be fast asleep all the
time."

Still holding the bewildered Mr. Flynn by the coat, she led him into the
house and waved him upstairs, and stood below listening until a slight
creaking of the bed announced that he had obeyed orders. Then she
entered the parlour.

"He's fast asleep," she said, softly; "and mind, I won't 'ave him
disturbed. It's the first real sleep he's 'ad for nearly a week. If
you promise not to wake 'im you may just have a peep."

"We won't disturb him," said the doctor, and, followed by his companion,
noiselessly ascended the stairs and peeped into the room. Mr. Flynn was
fast asleep, and not a muscle moved as the two men approached the bed on
tip