A BAD LOT . 
*55 
By a supreme effort, with the ground rock- 
ing under his feet; the exhausted man rushed 
forward — only just in time, for the beast 
had sprung and had thrown the woman and 
child to the ground when Francis Denham 
delivered his second frenzied, crushing blow, 
and then with a gasp sank senseless by the 
side of the two he had preserved from a 
terrible death. 
When Denham regained consciousness, on 
the little plateau stood a dozen men. Four 
of them with heavy chains controlled the 
sluggish movements of the wolf, who moaned 
drearily, and whose shaggy head was clotted 
with blood, while on a seat near was the 
half - fainting woman w’th the terrified 
child. 
His own head was raised against the knee 
of a man who held a flask of brandy to his 
lips, but the first words he heard were these : — • 
“ Poor chap, he’s coming to, but he’ll have 
to go along with me, worse luck. We had a 
’phone to be on the look-out for him half an 
hour ago. He’s well known to the police. 
A bad lot, I dare say, but a brave one for all 
that ! It wanted a man to tackle a beast 
like that with nothing but a bit of wood ; 
and this chap only left the infirmary three 
hours ago. A mighty thwack it must have 
been to crack that brute’s skull.” 
Again Francis Denham was tried and 
sentenced, but this time the judge took a 
lenient view of his crime for the sake of the 
brave deed which followed it 3 indeed, there 
were tears in his eyes as he addressed the 
criminal, for he had been deeply touched by 
the woman’s piteous pleading for the man 
who had saved her and her child from an 
awful fate. 
Eighteen months’ imprisonment with hard 
labour was the judge’s lenient sentence to the 
hardened offender, who listened to it and to 
the emotional words which accompanied it 
with a callous indifference that shocked 
everyone. 
It was a glorious afternoon in early July 
when Francis Denham once more stood a free 
man outside the gates of the prison at Worm- 
wood Scrubs. The scent of the country came 
to him from the open expanse of green fields, 
and in the distance he could hear the twitter 
and the song of birds ; the sky was blue 
above, and into his worn, miserable face there 
blew a refreshing breeze, but in his heart 
was a sense of utter loneliness and black 
despair. 
His mother had died six months before, 
and now lie was a free man without a friend in 
the whole wide world. What was the use of 
life to him ? he thought. None. Well, the 
night would soon be here, and the canal not 
far distant. 
And then there came a soft touch upon his 
arm, and turning quickly he saw by his side 
a decently-clad, careworn, but sweet-faced 
young woman. In great surprise he stood 
looking down at her, for she now grasped his 
arm tightly, as she raised her glowing eyes to 
his. 
“ I have been waiting an hour,” she said, 
“ and the time has seemed so long.” 
He caught his breath sharply ; he recognized 
the sweet, soft voice. 
“ Waiting?” he repeated, with a strange 
fluttering at his cold, torpid heart. “ Waiting, 
why ? ” 
“ For you, of course. I knew you were to 
come out this afternoon. And tea will be 
ready, and little Bessie is watching for us.” 
“ For us ? ” he repeated again. 
“ Yes, for her mammy and for our friend. 
Oh, Francis Denham, do you think I’ve 
forgotten ? I’ve been waiting for our dear 
friend, our brave, brave defender 1 ” 
“ But your husband,” Denham faltered, 
“ he would not ” 
“ My husband died nearly four years ago,” 
the woman replied; u there will be no one 
there but Bessie and me. Come, be of good 
heart ; the cruel, black days are over. I 
have found work for you.” 
With a stifled cry Denham clutched at the • 
hand that still grasped his arm. 
“ Work for me ? ” he gasped ; “ honest 
work ? ” 
“ Yes, for you,” she answered, in ringing 
tones. “ At the office where I am employed 
my master thinks of you as I do. And why 
not ? God knows you are a good, brave 
man ! ” 
Clasping his hands together and wringing 
them hard, Denham looked up into the blue 
dome of heaven. 
“ Thank God,” he murmured, solemnly, 
“ for this fresh chance ! ” 
And then, turning to his companion, he took 
her outstretched hand in his. 
I will come with you,” he said, simply ; 
“ oh, my friend, I will be true to your belief 
in me. You have saved my soul by your 
faith and charity.” 
“ I am only trying to pay my debt,” she 
answered, with a sob. “ Now come.” 
And as they walked away together, the 
sun shone upon the path before them. 
Vol. xlvL— 20. 
