Keziah half shrieked the last words, for, leaping from his seat, Tom Brough made a rush at her, chased her round the table with an activity hardly to have been expected from one of his years, followed her out on to the landing as she hastily beat a retreat, down the stairs, along the passage, and caught her on the door-mat, where, after a sharp scuffle, he succeeded in imprinting a couple of sounding kisses upon her cheek before she got the door open, and, panting and tumbled, rushed out nearly to the oversetting of Peter Pash, who, with his eye to the keyhole, had seen the chase in part, heard the scuffle in full, and now stood gazing grandly at the panting object of his affections. "Keziah!" he exclaimed at length, "I thought better of you." "What do you mean by that?" exclaimed the irate dame. "I thought you had been a woman as could be trusted," he said, sadly. "Trusted, indeed!" cried Keziah. "Why, he's a madman, that's what he is. He's off his head because of this wedding: see if he ain't." "Keziah!" said Peter, loftily, "I've done with you." "Give me that umbrella," cried Keziah, snatching the great gingham from his hand. "Now just you speak to me again like that, young man, and I'll talk to you." "I'll see you home. I won't be mean," said Peter. "But you've broken a true and trusting heart, Keziah." "Hold your tongue, do," she cried; "just as if I hadn't enough to bother me without your silly clat. I did think he'd be open to reason," she added half aloud. Peter did not answer, but walked by Keziah's side till they turned down by the Mansion House and entered Walbrook, when with a start the latter caught Peter by the arm and pointed down the deserted way to where a light figure was seen to hurriedly leave John Richards' door, and then to flit beneath lamp after lamp in the direction of Cannon-street. "Where's she going?" exclaimed Keziah, hoarsely. "What is she out for to-night?" "Who is it?" said Peter, though it was for the sake of speaking, for he knew. "She's mad, too, and we're all mad, I believe," cried Keziah. "O, Peter, if you love me as you say, hold by me now, for there's something going wrong; don't lose sight of her for an instant, if you value me. Make haste, man, and come on." "That's cool!" said Peter, "and after me seeing some one else kissing and hugging you." "Quick, quick!" cried Keziah, excitedly catching Peter's hand in hers; and then together they passed down Walbrook and across the street at the bottom, both too fat and heavy to keep the light figure in sight without great exertion. Down one of the hilly lanes and into Thames-street they panted, with the light drapery now lost sight of, now seen again at some corner, and then to disappear down one of the dark fog-dimmed openings, up which came the faint odour of the river and the low lapping noise of its waters against the slimy steps below. "Quick, quick!" said Keziah hoarsely, "or we shall be too late."