s
nerves in order. When it was time to start, he took Adela's hand, and
for a second time kissed it. She made an effort over herself and
held her lips to him. The 'good-bye' was exchanged, with a word of
strengthening from Adela; but still he did not go. He was endeavouring
to speak.

'I don't think I've thanked you half enough,' he said at length, 'for
what you did on Friday night.'

'Yes, more than enough,' was the reply.

'You make little of it, but it's a thing very few women would have done.
And it was hard for you, because you're a lady.'

'No less a woman,' murmured Adela, her head bowed.

'And a good woman--I believe with all my heart. I want to ask you to
forgive me--for things I once said to you. I was a brute. Perhaps if I
had been brought up in the same kind of way that you were--that's the
difference between us, you see. But try if you can to forget it. I'll
never think anything but good of you as long as I live.'

She could not reply, for a great sob was choking her. She pressed his
band; the tears broke from her eyes as she turned away.

It being Sunday afternoon, visitors were admitted to the hospital in
which Alice lay. Mutimer had allowed himself time to pass five minutes
by his sister's bedside on the way to Clerkenwell. Alice was still
unconscious; she lay motionless, but her lips muttered unintelligible
words. He bent over her and spoke, but she did not regard him. It was
perhaps the keenest pain Mutimer had ever known to look into those eyes
and meet no answering intelligence. By close listening he believed he
heard her utter the name of her husband. It was useless to stay; he
kissed her and left the ward.

On his arrival at Clerkenwell Green--a large triangular space which
merits the name of Green as much as the Strand--he found a considerable
gathering already assembled about the cart from which he was to speak.
The inner circle consisted of his friends--some fifty who remained
staunch in their faith. Prominent among them was the man Redgrave, he
who had presented the address when Mutimer took leave of his New Wanley
workpeople. He had come to London at the same time as his leader,
and had done much to recommend Mutimer's scheme in the East End. His
muscular height made those about him look puny. He was red in the face
with the excitement of abusing Mutimer's enemies, and looked as if
nothing would please him better than to second words with arguments more
cogent. He and those about him