sed, "Do let me see him."

"That cannot be without the doctor's permission," she said, but seeing
the frantic grief of the man, she went and brought the doctor's consent.

Dick was soon at the bedside. He saw only the bandaged head. The face
was scarcely disfigured, but there was a look upon it that could not be
misunderstood.

A faint smile played over his pale features, as he recognised his
visitor. Dick could not speak, but sank on his knees by the bedside and
sobbed as only a strong man can sob.

"Jack," he sed at last, "can ta forgie me, lad? Aw did it. But aw wor
mad! The devil had me in his clutches. Awm willin to suffer for it, but
do forgie me. Forgie me for old times sake."

"Aw knew tha did it, but aw forgie thi freely, for tha didn't know it
wod end like this. Aw wor to blame for net dooin mi wark when aw should
ha done. Dunnot blame Susy. Shoo's worthy on thi. Shoo tell'd me 'at all
her heart wor thine, an aw did all aw could to mak thi jaylus. An shoo
wor praad, an when tha seemed to slight her it cut her up, but pride
wodn't let her tell thi what aw've tell'd thi nah. It's hard to leeav
th' world when young, but its mi own fault. Forgie me, Dick, an let me
dee, an may thee an Susy be happy."

"That can nivver be, Jack. Thear's noa mooar happiness for me."

There was no response. The eyelids drooped,--the jaw fell. The nurse who
had stood at a distance, drew near and spread a white napkin over his
face.

"He's gone. 'Tis better so."

An inquest was held. "Accidental death" was the verdict.

The ladder could not be found. Neither Dick nor Susy ever entered those
works again. They were both sadly altered. After Jack's funeral, months
passed before they met again. What took place when they did meet can
only be surmised. Some short time afterwards their was a quiet wedding,
and they moved to another town. But Dick never recovered his old
spirits, and it was not long before she was a second time a widow.

When Dick was in his coffin and the men stood by to close it for the
last time, she placed in it a parcel. It contained two pieces of a
broken ladder, showing where it had been sawn almost in two. This is all
the story, Susy is living yet. The secret rests with her and me.

"If aw wor a Woman."

"If aw wor a woman awd----"

"If tha wor a woman tha'd be a disgrace to ivverybody belangin to thi,
an thar't little else nah," sed Mally.

"Aw wor gooin to remark, 'at if aw wor a woman----"