nearly been an accident this afternoon to a
goods train, and it's been owing to Jim Barnes having had too much
drink; so they've just paid him off, and sent him about his business."

"I'm afraid," said the vicar, "there has been too much cause for such a
strong measure. Poor James has been a sad drunken fellow, and it is a
wonder they have kept him on so long."

"So it is, indeed, sir; for it's risking other people's lives to have
such as him about a station. I suppose they have not liked to turn him
off before partly because he's got such a lot of little 'uns to feed,
and partly because it ain't often as he's plainly the worse for liquor
when he's at his work. But when a man's as fond of the drink as Jim
Barnes is, it ain't possible for him to keep off it always just when it
suits his interests. And then there's another thing which makes chaps
like him unfit to be trusted with having to do with the trains--who's to
be sure that he ain't so far the worse for drink as to be confused in
his head, even when he shows no signs of being regularly tipsy?"

"Who, indeed, Thomas? I am very sorry for poor James and his family;
but I am sure he is not the man, while he keeps his present habits, to
be trusted with work on the line, which requires a steady hand and a
cool head."

"Well, sir, I hope he'll begin to see that himself. Now's the time to
get at him, and so I'm just going down to try what I can do with him.
Jim's never been one of my sort, but he's not been one of the worst of
the other sort neither. He's a good-natured fellow, and has got a soft
heart, and I've never had a spiteful word from him since I've knowed
him."

"Yes, Thomas, I believe that's true of him," said Mr Maltby; "he has
been always very civil and obliging to me. But, as you know, I have
tried more than once to draw him out of the slough of intemperance on to
firm ground, but in vain. I trust, however, that God may bless your
loving endeavours to bring him now over to the right side."

"I trust so too, sir."

The house where Barnes lived was in one of the worst and dirtiest parts
of Crossbourne; and as some of the inhabitants, whose temperament
inclined to the gloomy, declared Crossbourne to be the dirtiest town in
England, the situation of Jim's dwelling was certainly not likely to be
favourable to either health or comfort. There are streets in most towns
of any considerable size which persons who are fortunate enough to live
in more a