ng him
away. And then, after a pause and very slowly, "You have not applied
at all," she said. "You are lying again. . . . God forgive you."
She drew herself up and for an instant he thought she was going to
strike him; but she only shivered. "I must go home."

"Home!" he echoed.

"And whither but home?"--with a loathing look around her.

"You will not dare."

In all this pitiful scene was nothing so pitiful as the pride in
which she drew herself up and towered over the man who had abased
her. Yet her voice was quiet. "That you cannot understand is worst
of all. I feared sin too little: but I can face the consequences.
I fear them less than--than--"

A look around her completed the sentence eloquently enough. As she
stood with her hand on the door-latch that look travelled around the
sordid room and rested finally on him as a piece of it. Then the
latch clicked, and she was gone.

She stood in the passage by the foot of the staircase. Half-way up
the servant girl was stooping over a stair-rod, pretending to clean
it. Hetty's wits were clear. She reflected a moment, and mounted
steadily to her room, crammed her poor trifles into her satchel, and
came down again with a face of ice.

The girl drew aside, watching her intently. But--on a sudden
impulse--"Miss--" she said.

"I beg your pardon!" Hetty paused.

"I wouldn't be in a hurry, miss. You can master him, if you try--you
and the parson: and the worst of 'em's better than none. And you
that pretty, too!"

"I don't understand you," answered Hetty coldly, and passed on.

John Romley was patrolling the pavement outside. She forced up a
smile to meet him. "There has been some difficulty with the
licence," said she, and marvelled at her own calmness. "I am sorry,
John, to have brought you here for nothing. He hid it from me--in
kindness: but meanwhile I am going back." With this brave falsehood
she turned to leave him, knowing that he believed it as little as
she.

He too marvelled. "Is it necessary to go back?"

"It is necessary."

"Then let me find you some conveyance." But he saw that she wished
only to be rid of him, and so shook hands and watched her down the
street.

"The infernal hound!" he said to himself; and as she passed out of
sight he turned to the lodging-house door and entered without
knocking.

He emerged, twenty minutes later, with his white bands twisted, his
hat awry, and a smear of blood on the surplice he carr