tongue felt dry and so
powerless that it needed an effort to force it to move. "Who's there?"
he said.

"'Tis me--Jonathan."

Adam caught up the lantern, and, turning it in the direction whence the
voice came, found to his relief that the rays fell upon Jonathan's face.
"Odds rot it, lad!" he exclaimed, "but you've gived me a turn! How the
deuce did you get in here? and why didn't ye come inside to the house
over there?"

"I've a bin scrooged down 'tween these 'ere sacks for ever so long,"
said Jonathan, trying to stretch out his cramped limbs: "I reckon I've
had a bit o' a nap too, for the time ha'n't a took long in goin', and
when I fust come 'twasn't altogether dark."

"'Tis close on the stroke o' twelve now," said Adam. "But come, what
news, eh? Have ye got hold o' anything yet? Are they devils off for
good? Is that what you've come to tell me?"

"Iss, they's off this time, I fancy," said Jonathan; "but 'twasn't that
broffed me, though I should ha' comed to tell 'ee o' that too."

"No? What is it then?" demanded Adam impatiently, turning the light so
that he could get a better command of Jonathan's face.

"'Twas 'cos o' this," said Jonathan, his voice dropping to a whisper, so
that, though the words were trembling on his lips, his agitation and
excitement almost prevented their utterance: "I've found it out--all of
it--who blowed the gaff 'pon us."

Adam started forward: his face all but touched Jonathan's, and an
expression of terrible eagerness came into his eyes.

"'Twas she!" hissed Jonathan--"she--her from London--Eve;" but before
the name was well uttered Adam had thrown himself upon him and was
grasping at his throat as if to throttle him, while a volley of
imprecations poured from his mouth, denouncing the base lie which
Jonathan had dared to utter. A moment more, and this fit of impotent
rage over, he flung him violently off, and stood for a moment trying to
bring back his senses; but the succession of circumstances had been too
much for him: his head swam round, his knees shook under him, and he had
to grasp hold of a beam near to steady himself.

"What for do 'ee sarve me like that, then?" muttered Jonathan. "I ain't
a-tellin' 'ee no more than I've a-heerd, and what's the truth. Her
name's all over the place," he went on, forgetful of the recent outburst
and warming with his narration. "Her's a reg'lar bad wan; her's
a-carr'ed on with a sodger-chap so well as with Jerrem; her's a--"

"By the