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times a week often. I daresay my lady fancied, in such a lonesome place there was no one to take heed of her goings-on; but there were neighbours coming and going to see what happened, to take notice when Mr. Lyne went in and when he went out.'

'How long is it since you heard this, mother? Mind, it's a lie, a wicked lie; and I'll prove it so. But how long have you heard it, and kept it from me?'

'I only heard it a few days ago; and I was coming to you to tell you of it in a day or so.'

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You don't believe it, mother?'

I can't help believing it; those I heard it from ain't likely to speak anything but truth to me. And there's nothing so strange in it. You could hardly expect much else, when you married a girl young enough to be your daughter for the sake of her pretty face.'

'I'll not believe it! I'll not believe it!' said Joshua, in a thick hoarse voice. But why isn't she here?' he cried, looking suddenly round. 'If she's true to me, why isn't she here?'

'Ah, why indeed!' muttered the old woman, bending over the table to strike a lucifer-match.

The ghastly face which the lighted candle showed her presently almost frightened her. She had never liked her daughter-in-law, had been jealous of her from the very first, and perhaps would have been scarcely sorry for her disgrace; but she was sorry for that look of agony in her son's white face.

Where are you going, Joshua ?' she cried, as he dashed out of the room.

To look for her,' he answered, without stopping.

He ran downstairs, and out into the street. The hot still night seemed to suffocate him. He ran on through a street or two, startling the few people that he met by his wild haggard look, and presently running against one of his fellow-workmen.

6

Why, Joshua Rainbow, what's the matter wi' you to-night?' cried the man. 'Where are you going, lad?'

'Home. There, Phil, don't stop me; I'm in a hurry.'

'But this is not your way home, lad. Are you gone clean daft? If you're looking for your wife, I reckon she's looking for you, poor little lass. I saw her go into the factory just now as pale as a ghost.'

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Into the factory-Esther-at this time of night ?'

Strange, isn't it? I thought maybe you reckoned upon coming home to-night, and had told her to meet you there. I saw a light burning in the counting-house. I suppose Mr. Crosby's there still, hard at it.'

'Let me go, Phil!' said Joshua desperately, and left his comrade staring after him at the street-corner.

He hurried on to the factory, with his blood in a fever, his heart

beating as it had never beaten in his life before. What he expected to find he knew not; but direful and murderous thoughts were in his mind. His wife at the factory at this hour! a light burning in the little counting-house! She had gone to meet some one; and that half-contemptuous, half-pitying look of the manager's-Joshua knew now what it meant-knew that they had sent him upon this journey to get him out of the way; and his wife knew it too perhaps, and had laughed at him for the besotted dupe he was.

Yes; there was a light burning in the little counting-house. The door below was unlocked. Joshua opened it noiselessly, and went into the passage, where the gas was burning dimly, and upstairs to the room where he had seen the lamp from without.

The door was half open, and he heard a voice within speaking in low soothing tones-his voice, Stephen Lyne's. Another moment, and Joshua Rainbow stood in the open doorway, face to face with his wife and her lover.

At sight of that ghastly face Esther gave an awful cry, and fell in a heap upon the ground. Stephen Lyne lifted her up, and pushed her hurriedly into a little room-a kind of dressing-room, that opened out of the counting-house. Then planting his back against the door, he faced the man he had wronged, with an insolent defiance in his dark eyes.

'Now, sir,' he said, 'what do you want here?'

Your life, you infernal scoundrel, though every drop of your heart's blood isn't enough to pay for the wrong you've done me! But let me get my wife out of this place first, and then you'll see what I want of you. Let me pass to that room.'

Stephen Lyne kept his place against the door.
'Your wife!' he cried contemptuously.

What right has a boor like you to such a little beauty? She is my mistress, fellow; and you can look for your remedy in a court of law. I can afford to pay a handsome price for my bird.'

He had his back still against the door, when Joshua Rainbow seized him by the throat and flung him away from it. Then the two men closed upon each other like a couple of gladiators. There was a sharp rapid struggle, a push for the outer door of the counting-house, then the fall of a heavy body down the stairs, and in the next moment Joshua Rainbow staggered back into the room, with the mastiff Pluto hanging on to his neckerchief. The dog had been prowling somewhere about the empty rooms and passages, and had only come upon the scene in time to see his master hurled down the short flight of stairs.

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Esther stood in the doorway between the two rooms, in an agony of terror, watching her husband's struggle with the mastiff. called to the dog by his name; she tried to grasp his collar, and failing in this, flew to the window, screaming for help.

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A couple of men came running in-the night watchman and another. At the foot of the stairs they almost tumbled over Mr. Lyne, prostrate and helpless.

'What's this?' they cried as they raised him, without recognising him in the dim light.

'Nothing—a dislocated shoulder, perhaps

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nothing more,' the young man answered with a groan; but there's a man upstairs being murdered by a dog. You'd better see to him.'

Esther's screams were still sounding above. The two men rushed upstairs. Joshua Rainbow was lying on the ground unconscious, fearfully mangled about the head and face, the mastiff standing a few paces from him licking his bloody jaws.

They raised him up between them, for the moment thinking him dead.

'Eh, but it's a bad job, missis,' said one of them. 'Who set the dog on to him?'

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'No one. It was my fault-mine,' Esther gasped. But he's not dead; 0, for the love of heaven, tell me he's not dead!' 'Looks rather like it, my lass; but maybe he'll come round. He's had an ugly bout of it. Where shall we take him, lass ?' 'Home-0, to his home, if you please! It's a long way, but we must manage it somehow.'

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It would be a'most better to take him to the infirmary,' said the watchman.' Here, you Bill, run for a doctor.'

The man hurried off upon this errand. The mastiff, who had lapsed into a state of sullen quiet, walked slowly off, no one hindering his progress. The watchman had placed Joshua on a chair, and stood by the side of it supporting the lifeless figure, with the helpless head lying on his shoulder. Esther flung herself on her knees, and took her husband's hand in both her own.

For me!' she murmured to herself; for me!'

The messenger came back very quickly with a surgeon who lived close at hand. This gentleman pronounced the case a very serious one, and insisted upon Joshua's being taken to the infirmary. As to taking him home, it was out of the question, he said: he might die on the way; nor could he possibly have the attention he required in his own home. So a litter was fetched from the infirmary, and Joshua was carried away upon it, Esther following him pale and tearless.

For three long weeks Joshua Rainbow lay at the point of death, recognising no one, not even his wretched wife, who used to sit by his bed hour after hour, watching his disfigured face and listening to his wild talk, with a patience that won her the praises of the hospital officials. His mother used to come too; but his mother would never speak to Esther, except to ask her indignantly how she dared to show her face there.

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