money, why, marm, I'm a-going down to Boisingham myself by the
train as leaves Liverpool Street at half-past one, and that's an hour
and a bit from now, and it's proud and pleased I should be to take a
lady down and be the means of bringing them as has been in holy
matrimony togither again. And as to what you should do when you gets
there, why, you should just walk up with your marriage lines and say,
'You are my lawful husband, and I calls on you to cease living as you
didn't oughter and to take me back;' and if he don't, why then you
swears an information, and it's a case of warrant for bigamy."

The woman chuckled, and then suddenly seized with suspicion looked at
her visitor sharply.

"What do you want me to blow the gaff for?" she said; "you're a leery
old hand, you are, for all your simple ways, and you've got some game
on, I'll take my davy."

"I a game--I----!" answered George, an expression of the deepest pain
spreading itself over his ugly features. "No, marm--and when one hev
wanted to help a friend too. Well, if you think that--and no doubt
misfortune hev made you doubtful-like--the best I can do is to bid you
good-day, and to wish you well out of your troubles, workhus and all,
marm, which I do according," and he rose from his box with much
dignity, politely bowed to the hag on the mattress, and then turning
walked towards the door.

She sprung up with an oath.

"I'll go," she said. "I'll take the change out of him; I'll teach him
to let his lawful wife starve on a beggarly pittance. I don't care if
he does try to kill me. I'll ruin him," and she stamped upon the floor
and screamed, "I'll ruin him, I'll ruin him!" presenting such a
picture of abandoned rage and wickedness that even George, whose
feelings were not finely strung, inwardly shrank from her.

"Ah, marm," he said, "no wonder you're put about. When I think of what
you've had to suffer, I own it makes my blood go a-biling through my
veins. But if you is a-coming, mayhap it would be as well to stop
cursing of and put your hat on, and we hev got to catch the train."
And he pointed to a head-gear chiefly made of somewhat dilapidated
peacock feathers, and an ulster which the bailiffs had either
overlooked or left through pity.

She put on the hat and cloak. Then going to the hole beneath the
board, out of which she said the woman Ellen had stolen her jewellery,
she extracted the copy of the certificate of marriage which that lady
had not appa