"Oh yes," I said.

"Well, she don't look it then, poor little woman. One minute she was begging and praying me to take her home, the next she was scolding me for interfering. Then she'd be quiet for a few minutes, and then she'd want to jump out of the cab; and it's my belief that if I'd let her go, she'd have throwed herself into the river."

"Poor soul?" murmured Mary.

"Then she'd take a fit of not wanting to go home, saying that she daren't never go there any more, and that I wasn't to take her home, but to you, Ant'ny; and that sorter thing's been going on all the time, till she seemed to be quite worn out, and I was so puzzled as to what to do, that I thought I would bring her on here, and let Mary do what she thought best."

"Did you think that, Bill?" said Mary eagerly.

"Of course I did. I don't understand women-folk, and I hate having jobs that puts 'em in my care. 'Mary'll settle it all right,' I says, 'and know what's best to be done.'"

"Antony," said a voice at the door just then, and I went out to find Hallett looking very pale, and Linny lying insensible upon the couch.

"Oh, Hallett!" I exclaimed. "Shall Mary come?"

"Yes--directly," he said hoa.r.s.ely; and there was something very strange about his manner. "Shut the door, boy," he continued. "Look here, Antony; this note was inside the neck of her dress, as I opened it to give her air. You need not read it; but look at it. Tell me whether you have ever seen the handwriting before."

I took the letter from him, and looked at the bold, free, rather peculiar hand, which I recognised on the instant.

"Oh yes!" I exclaimed, "often."

"Whose writing is it?" he said, pressing his hand upon his breast to keep down the emotion that seemed ready to choke him. "Don't speak rashly, Antony; make sure before you give an answer."

"But I am sure," I exclaimed, without a moment's hesitation. "I have often seen it--it is Mr Lister's writing. What does it mean?"

"Mean?" cried Hallett, in a low, deep voice, as if speaking to some one across the room, for he was not looking at me. "My G.o.d, what does it not mean, but that John Lister is a villain!"

CHAPTER FORTY TWO.

A QUESTION OF LAW.

Stephen Hallett's model was still at rest; for, poor fellow, he had now a fresh trouble upon his hands.

The excitement had been too much for Linny, and he got her home to find her delirious; a severe attack of brain fever came on, and her life was, for many days, hanging by a thread.

I was there every evening, to find that Mary had installed herself head nurse, and whenever Hallett spoke to her, she was always ready with the one reply:

"Didn't she come and tend my pore Bill?" This went on for a time, but Hallett insisted, and Mary proving obdurate, he talked to Revitts about remuneration.

"Oh, never mind about that," said the bluff fellow. "She says she's got plenty of time on her hands, and we've both saved a bit, and as long as she gets what I want, and is at home when I come, it don't interfere with me; and bless your heart, Mr Hallett, what would life be if one on us wouldn't do a good turn to another?"

"Yes, but I cannot feel satisfied to let your good wife work for me for nothing."

"Ah," said Bill sagely. "That's the worst of eddication, it makes a man so uppish. No offence, Mr Hallett, sir, but you being a highly eddicated man--"

"Tut--tut! nonsense!" said Hallett, smiling. "Oh, but you are, you know," said Revitts. "Ant'ny says you are, and it's wonderful what a power o' stuff that there young chap's got in his head. I come the top-sawyer over him when he first come up to London; but, Lor' bless you! I give in to everything out o' the ornerary in no time. It's on'y nat'ral that eddication should make a man uppish. I've felt a deal more so since Ant'ny's given me a lift in spellin'. I always was a good writer, but my spellin', Mr Hallett, sir! Ha--ha--ha!" he cried, bursting out in a guffaw; "I know now when I looks back at some of my old books, it was a rum 'un. Them big words was just like so many forty-barred gates to my getting promoted."

"I suppose so," said Hallett; "but about payment for your wife's services?"

"Why, you do pay me," said Revitts st.u.r.dily. "She gets braxfuses, and dinners, and teas--no end."

"Yes, but that counts for nothing."

"Oh, don't it," said Revitts, laughing. "You ask Ant'ny about that, and how him and me used to dodge to make the money run to good meals. Look here, Mr Hallett, sir, I'm only a humble sort of a chap, but you've always been kindly to me, and I hope it ain't no disrespect to you to call you a friend."

"I'm only too glad to call you 'friend,' Revitts," said Hallett, holding out his hand, which the other gripped like a vice, "and I thank Antony Grace for making me known to two such good hearted people as you and your worthy wife."

"Thanky, sir, for Mary--thanky," exclaimed Revitts, nodding his head.

"She's a good one, and no mistake; and as for her bit of temper, Antony," he said, speaking as if he were very much moved, as he turned to me, "that bit of rough is like ballast to her, and keeps her down; for, if it wasn't for her tantrums, I believe she'd have been an angel long ago, and then--what should I have done? Lor' bless you both, they call us pleecemen lobsters, raw lobsters, to distinguish us from the soldiers, and because we're dark blue and so hard; but I'm soft enough inside, and that woman knows it, too. Well, sir, about this remooneration--as you call it. Look here, she won't take no money, so I'll tell you what you do by-and-by when she's nursed Miss Linny back to health--as she will, you mark my words if she don't--better than any doctor. It's a treat, to be ill under her. Lord's truth!" cried the great fellow, smiling and looking as silly as a fat boy, "the way she'd wash my face and neck, and go in an' out o' my ears with the sponge and towel without hurting, was 'eavenly."

Hallett could not forbear a smile, and I roared.

"Ah, you may grin, Ant'ny my lad, but you'll see, some day when you're on your back, she's the best nuss that ever lived. There!"

"She is, indeed, Revitts," cried Hallett, "and--Heaven bless her! my poor mother has not been so well for months as she has been since your wife has tended her."

"There, Ant'ny, hear that!" cried Revitts. "She's a woman to be proud on--that she is."

"That she is, Bill," I echoed, clapping the dear old fellow on the shoulder.

"Well, as I was saying," he exclaimed, "just you give her a noo gownd, something bright and with some colour in it, and if so be as she isn't at home when I get back, p'r'aps you wouldn't mind my coming in for a snack here, for if I don't get my corn reglar I'm nowhere."

"My dear fellow, I shall never be able to thank you enough," cried Hallett.

"Oh, that's all right among friends, ain't it, Ant'ny? He knows me better, and Mary, too, than you do, so let's drop all that, sir; and now I want to talk serious to you about this here affair. I feel, sir, as a sergeant of police, that I oughtn't to rest till I've brought that chap to justice."

I saw Hallett start and change colour. Then, getting up, he began to walk up and down the room, ending by coming and laying his hand upon Revitts' shoulder.

"Revitts," he said, "that man has done you a very serious injury."

"Never mind about that, Mr Hallett, sir; I dare say I shall put that square. I was thinking about you."

"Yes, and he has done me a deadly injury," said Hallett, in a low, dreamy voice; "but I cannot retaliate. You will think me strange and weak perhaps; but I cannot take any steps toward punishing this man."

Revitts looked disappointed.

"I'd been hoping, sir," he said, "that you'd got to know who I was, and could give me a hint or two, so that I could put my ban upon him. You know who it is, sir?"

Hallett looked at him searchingly, and a deep frown came upon his forehead.

"Yes," he said, "I know who it is; but for many reasons I cannot stir in the matter. Besides, what could I do? He has committed no punishable offence against me."

"No, that's true," said Revitts quickly; "but he has against me.

a.s.saulting the police is 'most as bad as high-treason, and if you'll give me his name, sir, or put me in the way of getting a hand on him, I'll give him a twelvemonths' imprisonment."

Hallett shook his head.