o a side-lane on his left.

It was done in a moment. Instinctively I caught the burden: but the
impetus with which he had passed it to me, sent me reeling to the
right, and the lane being narrow, I fell against the wall before I could
steady myself. As luck would have it, that which should have destroyed
me, was my salvation; I struck the wall where a door broke it, the door,
lightly latched, flew open under the impact, I fell inwards. I alighted,
in darkness, on my hands and knees, heard the stifled yelp of a dog, and
in a second, though I could see nothing, I was up and had the door
closed behind me.

Then I listened. Panting and breathless, I heard the hunt go raving
through the lane, and the noise die in the distance; until only the
beating of my heart broke the close silence of the darkness in which I
stood. When this had lasted a minute or two, I began to peer and wonder
where I was; and remembering the dog I had heard, I moved stealthily to
find the latch, and escape. As I did so, the bundle, to which through
all I had clung--instinctively, for I had not thought of it--moved in my
arms.

I almost dropped it; then I held it from me with a swift movement of
repulsion. It stirred again, it was warm. In a moment the truth flashed
upon me. It was a child!

Burning hot as I had been before, the sweat rose on me at the thought.
For I saw again the man's face of terror, and I guessed that he had
stolen the child, and I feared the worst. He had mistaken the rabble
hooting at my heels for the avengers of blood, and had been only too
thankful to rid himself of the damning fact, and escape.

And now I had it, and had as much, or more, to fear. For an instant the
impulse to lay the parcel down, and glide out, and so be clear of it,
was strong upon me. And that I think is what the ordinary clerk, being
no hero, nor bred like a soldier to risk his life, would have done. But
for one thing, I was desperate. I knew not, after this, whither to go or
where to save myself. For another thing my clerk's wits were already
busy, showing me how with luck I might use the occasion and avoid the
risk; how with luck I might discover the parents and without suffering
for the theft, restore the child. Beyond that I saw an opening vista of
pardon, employment and reward.

Suddenly, the dog whined again, close to me; and that decided me. I had
found the latch by this time, and warily I drew the door open. In a
moment I was in the lane, look