"If that creature in the bedroom is not out
of my house in an hour's time, I shall send for the police." Having
answered her lodger's arguments in those terms, she left the room, and
banged the door after her.

"Thank you, sir, for being so kind to me. I'll go away directly--and
then, perhaps, the lady will forgive you."

Amelius looked round. Simple Sally had heard it all. She was dressed in
her wretched clothes, and was standing at the open bedroom door, crying,

"Wait a little," said Amelius, wiping her eyes with his own
handkerchief; "and we will go away together. I want to get you some
better clothes; and I don't exactly know how to set about it. Don't cry,
my dear--don't cry."

The deaf maid-of-all-work came in, as he spoke. She too was in tears.
Amelius had been good to her, in many little ways--and she was the
guilty person who had led to the discovery in the bedroom. "If you had
only told me, sir," she said pentitently, "I'd have kep' it secret. But,
there, I went in with your 'ot water, as usual, and, O Lor', I was that
startled I dropped the jug, and run downstairs again--!"

Amelius stopped the further progress of the apology. "I don't blame you,
Maria," he said; "I'm in a difficulty. Help me out of it; and you will
do me a kindness."

Maria partially heard him, and no more. Afraid of reaching the
landlady's ears, as well as the maid's ears, if he raised his voice, he
asked if she could read writing. Yes, she could read writing, if it was
plain. Amelius immediately reduced the expression of his necessities to
writing, in large text. Maria was delighted. She knew the nearest shop
at which ready-made outer clothing for women could be obtained, and
nothing was wanted, as a certain guide to an ignorant man, but two
pieces of string. With one piece, she measured Simple Sally's height,
and with the other she took the slender girth of the girl's waist--while
Amelius opened his writing-desk, and supplied himself with the last sum
of spare money that he possessed. He had just closed the desk again,
when the voice of the merciless landlady was heard, calling imperatively
for Maria.

The maid-of-all-work handed the two indicative strings to Amelius.
"They'll 'elp you at the shop," she said--and shuffled out of the room.

Amelius turned to Simple Sally. "I am going to get you some new
clothes," he began.

The girl stopped him there: she was incapable of listening to a word
more. Every trace of sorrow vanishe