ev to
go fur.'

Dempster, furious, snatched the whip from the socket, and gave Dawes a
cut which he meant to fall across his shoulders saying, 'Take that, sir,
and go to hell with you!'

Dawes was in the act of turning with the reins in his hand when the lash
fell, and the cut went across his face. With white lips, he said, 'I'll
have the law on yer for that, lawyer as y'are,' and threw the reins on
the horse's back.

Dempster leaned forward, seized the reins, and drove off.

'Why, there's your friend Dempster driving out without his man again,'
said Mr. Luke Byles, who was chatting with Mr. Budd in the Bridge Way.
'What a fool he is to drive that two-wheeled thing! he'll get pitched on
his head one of these days.'

'Not he,' said Mr. Budd, nodding to Dempster as he passed 'he's got nine
lives, Dempster has.'

Chapter 18

It was dusk, and the candles were lighted before Mr. Tryan knocked at
Mrs. Pettifer's door. Her messenger had brought back word that he was not
at home, and all afternoon Janet had been agitated by the fear that he
would not come; but as soon as that anxiety was removed by the knock at
the door, she felt a sudden rush of doubt and timidity: she trembled and
turned cold.

Mrs. Pettifer went to open the door, and told Mr. Tryan, in as few words
as possible, what had happened in the night. As he laid down his hat and
prepared to enter the parlour, she said, 'I won't go in with you, for I
think perhaps she would rather see you go in alone.'

Janet, wrapped up in a large white shawl which threw her dark face into
startling relief, was seated with her eyes turned anxiously towards the
door when Mr. Tryan entered. He had not seen her since their interview at
Sally Martin's long months ago; and he felt a strong movement of
compassion at the sight of the pain-stricken face which seemed to bear
written on it the signs of all Janet's intervening misery. Her heart gave
a great leap, as her eyes met his once more. No! she had not deceived
herself: there was all the sincerity, all the sadness, all the deep pity
in them her memory had told her of; more than it had told her, for in
proportion as his face had become thinner and more worn, his eyes
appeared to have gathered intensity.

He came forward, and, putting out his hand, said, 'I am so glad you sent
for me--I am so thankful you thought I could be any comfort to you.'
Janet took his hand in silence. She was unable to utter any words of mere