ild should set him down as a drunkard. He laughed out loud over it as he drank his single glass of lager beer at dinner. In his workaday life he avoided taking his glas

as a man might miss a favorite dog. To his inquiries concerning the child,

s mind the child was absurdly unjust, and that in time she would come round; still he was more sorry than he allowed himself to acknowledge at her

nown how to pray, or had realized that she could effectively and without indecorum pray out of church, she would have climbed in spirit to the throne of the Most High, and with insistent appeal have interceded for the friend she confusedly felt was passing through some dread peril. But Meg's conception of the world beyond the grave was as of a

on its being opened, hand to Mr. Standish a paper which he received and glanced over, the child noticed, with an expression of surprised consternation. He did not invite the visitor in. Meg could not distinguish the purport of the talk that

e answers. From that day she noted, however, that he changed his hours of going out; he appeared anxious; he locked his door after

e delicate and familiar handwriting of one of the young man's friends-who was also her favorite antipathy. She had at one t

aused, and softly called "Meg." But Meg, in the shadow, straightened herself; an aggressive light brightened her eye

and pity as she beheld the disorder, the uncared-for confusion that reigned within-slippers pitched at different corners of the room; the tobacco-pouch hal

worked, the hard knot at her little heart loosened. She had proceeded some way at her task when she came upon a paper. She recognized the nature of the paper at a glance; she had seen such a missive in Mrs. Browne's possession before. It was a

having kept away so sternly? The only way that presented itself to her mind for displaying the energy of her repentance was by rubbing the furniture till it shone in the firelight. She put the last touch to her work by filling the two vases with late autumn foliage and yell

lation with a smooth-voiced stranger in the hall, who was apparently making himself agreeable to the slavey. At a glance

cked the door, and dropped the key into her apron pocket, before the representative of justice came panting up on the scene. Meg's experience of life had included

uired, standing before the

. I've got news for him," replied t

eg briefly. "He's out,

perplexed consternation. "Those writing gents make their living by

tell him when he come

key of that room is. If you let me in, I'll give you the prettiest, shiniest sixpence you ever saw

ere do you come

ting gents call a printer's devil, ha, ha, ha!"-and th

a bailiff. I've seen bailiffs," and she nodded, "and I know their dodges. You wa

ver can be-the prettiest, cleverest littl

l you how hard; who eats very little, and who scarcely drinks ever at all-that is, very seldom." Meg dashed away a tear, and went on with energy, advancing with restless steps. "If t

then, as Meg approached, lost in her pleading, he made a sudden flop forward, and a

trying to get the key out of my pocket! But I'll not let you have it. I'll throw it out of that window into the gutte

the bailiff, depositing h

l you sit the

elieve he's a scamp. Those hauthors and hartists are. I know

sh, her bosom heaving, her little

her pocket, quivering with helpless wrath, before the impassable persecutor. With a sudden spring she

waiting there, and I'm glad of it

gure promenading up and down before the house under a drip

" she said, puttin

et surprised at her manner; "so

hall door with his latchkey, she said laconically,

th forefinger on lips to enjoin silence. Up, up she went, until she reached the

r, Meg," said Mr. Sta

cked the door and kept the key; here it is." With an expressive twinkle

ff!" he repeated. "Then Gilbert has not paid! I backed his bill be

ut foolish," sa

h Samuels, when I told him of the writ. He assured me the mon

aid Meg, with scornful

ney, Meg," said the young man, wi

; they're big and heavy; they'll raise the m

er. Inside the lid the names of the donors were inscribed in minute characters. "I can't, Meg," he repeated, looking at it and shaking his head. "A token of a

u don't pawn it you'll have to let that man in," nodding in the direction of the staircase. "He'll sit in your room. You'll be able to do no work with him there

h, scarcely able to repress a smile, mo

been there before. Last time Mrs. Browne put the silver teapot up the spout I went

have not the heart," said Mr. Standis

taking the silver ink-bottle and the books, and preventing your working," continued Meg, pressing her advanta

"How good you are to me, Meg; how good!" he said,

the child felt the tones. "Give it

-plate that he had mended, in the pasteboard frame he had manufactured for it. A bit of scarlet ribbon fastened it to a nail, with an elaborate bow. Above it, as a pious Catholic might have crossed about some saint's image branches of blessed palms, so Meg had placed sprigs of lavender, that delicately scented the room. On the peg behind the door hung the little Sunday frock, turned inside out. On a table, under a clean pocket-handkerchief, were placed three books that he had given her-a volume of ballads, "

ting when Meg appeared, her hand

opening it she displayed a roll covered with paper; "twenty-five pounds-count; and h

unds, Meg!" sai

twenty. Those men always smile when they want to cheat you," said Meg, with a nod

rds of thankfulness that r

im by the hand and leading him to the

stiff, as if he had got rheumatism. After the hall door had slammed behind the representative of the law she stood hesitating. Soon her diffident feet slowly br

d Meg, nodding.

an I thank you for it?" said the young man, r

ardor, looking up into his face. "Just pr

d. He led the child in and sat down, still keeping her

nce in her voice, "I knew him by his sleeky ways. I've wa

suddenly fell as he thought of all that kno

ho used to sit by my fireside

d answered, with a quaver in her voic

drunk that; and there was the lord mayor's health, I should have been a bad citizen if I had not drunk that; then there were the directors' healths, and there were one a

d of you," said

candidly. "Come, Meg, won't

efore," interru

lt a touch of awe of that creature regarding him with steady gravity, and he fo

y were often to be pitied; so many in this world were bor

y get it," said Meg. "Th

wisdom. He admitted there was truth in what she said. Once, three years ago, just

him much mon

kless, he was so handsome and so jolly. He came and told me all about his trouble. His father was very stern

it?" she sai

nod

pay you back?"

d story. There was some

te of the stranger seemed

she paused; then she put out her hand and stroked his