"No, sir; no one," responded Tim, and then, sinking his voice to a whisper, he looked anxiously round the shop, dropping his hat, and then starting as he caught Purkis by one of his buttons--"Who was it, sir?-- who was it?" he said, in a voice hardly above his breath. "Why, you don't want me to tell you, I'm sure, sir?" said Purkis, stoutly. "Oh yes, I do!--oh yes, I do!" groaned Tim. "Then," said the beadle, "I'll tell you!" When there came the words "O Joseph!" plainly heard from the inner room, pointing to the fact that Mrs Purkis had been listening the whole time. But her lord heeded not the soft appeal, but, leaning forward, he placed a hand upon Tim's shoulder, his lips close to his ear, and whispered the words. With a cry, the little tailor caught up his hat and dashed out of the shop, then, after silencing the irritated bell, Mr Purkis gave one of his customer-seeking looks up and down the street, but it was only to see poor Tim Ruggles disappear round the corner. "I knowed you'd commit yourself, Joseph," whimpered Mrs Purkis, standing at the inner door, and rolling her arms tightly in her apron. "My dear," said Mr Purkis pompously, "it was only my dooty!" Volume 3, Chapter XVII. JOHN BROWN. "It's all against rule and regulation, and that sort of thing," said the sergeant, as he and Harry Clayton were being jolted over the stones in a Hansom cab; "but ours is a particular case. The old gentleman's there long before this, sir. He seemed to revive like magic as soon as ever I told him the news. He just hid his face for a few moments, and then said quite sharp, `Go and fetch Mr Clayton, and bring him after me,' telling me, of course, where you were gone; and here I am, sir." "But it seems so strange," said Clayton. "I can't understand it." "Strange, sir! 'Pon my soul, sir, if you'll excuse me for saying so, I'm quite ashamed of myself. Thought I was up to more than that. And yet, here's all the wind taken out of my sails, and I'm nowhere." Harry nodded, for he wanted to think, but the sergeant rattled on--