ths, during which the little community would have been
deprived of his labor. He reminded her that Frank had had a clean record
up to that time with the police....

But explanation had been fruitless. Gertie had even threatened a
revelation of the facts of the case at the nearest police-station, and
the Major had been forced to more manly tactics with her. He had not
used a stick; his hands had served him very well, and in the course of
his argument he had made a few insincere remarks on the mutual relations
of Frank and Gertie that the girl remembered.

* * * * *

He had obtained a frugal little lodging in one of the small streets of
York, down by the river--indeed looking straight on to it; and, for a
wonder, five days' regular work at the unloading of a string of barges.
The five days expired on the Saturday before Frank was expected, but he
had several shillings in hand on the Sunday morning when Frank's letter
arrived, announcing that he hoped to be with them again on Sunday night
or Monday morning. Two letters, also, had arrived for his friend on the
Sunday morning--one in a feminine handwriting and re-directed, with an
old postmark of June, as well as one of the day before--he had held it
up to the light and crackled it between his fingers, of course, upon
receiving it--and the other an obvious bill--one postmark was Cambridge
and the other Barham. He decided to keep them both intact. Besides,
Gertie had been present at their delivery.

The Major spent, on the whole, an enjoyable Sunday. He lay in bed till
a little after twelve o'clock, with a second-hand copy of the Sporting
Times, and a tin of tobacco beside him. They dined at about one o'clock,
and he managed to get a little spirit to drink with his meal. He had
walked out--not very far--with Gertie in the afternoon, and had managed
by representing himself as having walked seven miles--he was determined
not to risk anything by foolishly cutting it too fine--to obtain a
little more. They had tea about six, and ate, each of them, a kippered
herring and some watercress. Then about seven o'clock Frank suddenly
walked in and sat down.

"Give me something to eat and drink," he said.

He looked, indeed, extraordinarily strained and tired, and sat back on
the upturned box by the fireplace as if in exhaustion. He explained
presently when Gertie had cooked another herring, and he had drunk a
slop-basinful of tea, that he had walked f