‘No barrel came, Morris,’ responded Julia coldly.  ’This is the only thing that has arrived.’

‘This!’ shrieked the miserable man.  ‘I never heard of it!’

‘It came addressed in your hand,’ replied Julia; ’we had nearly to pull the house down to get it in, that is all that I can tell you.’

Morris gazed at her in utter bewilderment.  He passed his hand over his forehead; he leaned against the wall like a man about to faint.  Then his tongue was loosed, and he overwhelmed the girl with torrents of abuse.  Such fire, such directness, such a choice of ungentlemanly language, none had ever before suspected Morris to possess; and the girl trembled and shrank before his fury.

‘You shall not speak to Miss Hazeltine in that way,’ said Gideon sternly.  ‘It is what I will not suffer.’

‘I shall speak to the girl as I like,’ returned Morris, with a fresh outburst of anger.  ‘I’ll speak to the hussy as she deserves.’

‘Not a word more, sir, not one word,’ cried Gideon.  ‘Miss Hazeltine,’ he continued, addressing the young girl, ’you cannot stay a moment longer in the same house with this unmanly fellow.  Here is my arm; let me take you where you will be secure from insult.’

‘Mr Forsyth,’ returned Julia, ’you are right; I cannot stay here longer, and I am sure I trust myself to an honourable gentleman.’

Pale and resolute, Gideon offered her his arm, and the pair descended the steps, followed by Morris clamouring for the latchkey.

Julia had scarcely handed the key to Morris before an empty hansom drove smartly into John Street.  It was hailed by both men, and as the cabman drew up his restive horse, Morris made a dash into the vehicle.

‘Sixpence above fare,’ he cried recklessly.  ’Waterloo Station for your life.  Sixpence for yourself!’

‘Make it a shilling, guv’ner,’ said the man, with a grin; ’the other parties were first.’

‘A shilling then,’ cried Morris, with the inward reflection that he would reconsider it at Waterloo.  The man whipped up his horse, and the hansom vanished from John Street.

CHAPTER VI.  The Tribulations of Morris:  Part the First

As the hansom span through the streets of London, Morris sought to rally the forces of his mind.  The water-butt with the dead body had miscarried, and it was essential to recover it.  So much was clear; and if, by some blest good fortune, it was still at the station, all might be well.  If it had been sent out, however, if it were already in the hands of some wrong person, matters looked more ominous.  People who receive unexplained packages are usually keen to have them open; the example of Miss Hazeltine (whom he cursed again) was there to remind him of the circumstance; and if anyone had opened the water-butt—­’O Lord!’ cried Morris at the thought, and carried his hand to his damp forehead.  The private conception