Oh, dry it up!exclAimed Will bitterly.

Jack looked at him, laughed mirthlessly, and continued: An we said we d buy her birds. So we got hold of one goose apiece?aan they took some holding, I can tell you?aand off we set round the fair, Billy leading with the girl. The bloomin geese squawked an pecked. Laugh?aI thought I should a died. Well, then we wanted the girl to have her birds back?aand then she fired up. She got some other chaps on her side, and there was a proper old row. The girl went tooth and nail for Will there?ashe was dead set against him. She gave him a black eye, by gum, and we went at it, I can tell you. It was a free fight, a beauty, an we got run in. I don t know what became of the girl.

Lois surveyed the two men. There was no glimmer of a smile on her face, though the maid behind her was sniggering. Will was very bitter. He glanced at his sweetheart and at the ruined factory.

How s dad taken it?he asked, in a biting, almost humble tone.

I don t know,she replied coldly. Father s in an awful way. I believe everybody thinks you set the place on fire.

Lois drew herself up. She had delivered her blow. She drew herself up in cold condemnation and for a moment enjoyed her complete revenge. He was despicable, abject in his dishevelled, disfigured, unwashed condition.

Aye, well, they made a mistake for once,he replied, with a curl of the lip.

Curiously enough, they walked side by side as if they belonged to each other. She was his conscience-keeper. She was far from forgiving him, but she was still farther from letting him go. And he walked at her side like a boy who has to be punished before he can be exonerated. He submitted. But there was a genuine bitter contempt in the curl of his lip.