Then, not wishing to allow attention to be diverted from his message, he continued his discourse with such fervour that the people soon forgot the interrupter, and Bones forgot them and himself and his friend, in contemplation of the "Great Salvation." When the meeting was over he hurried out into the open air. Aspel followed, but lost him in the crowd. After searching a few minutes without success, he returned to Archangel Court without him. The proud youth was partly subdued, though not overcome. He had heard things that night which he had never heard before, as well as many things which, though heard before, had never made such an impression as then. Lighting the remnant of the candle in the pint-bottle, he pulled out the little book which he had purchased, and began to read, and ever as he read there seemed to start up the words, "It is God who giveth us the victory." At last he came to the page on which the prescription for drunkards is printed in detail. He read it with much interest and some hope, though, of course, being ignorant of medicine, it conveyed no light to his mind. "I'll try it at all events," he muttered in a somewhat desponding tone; "but I've tried before now to break off the accursed habit without success, and have my doubts of this, for--" He paused, for the words, "It is God that giveth us the victory," leaped again to his mind with tenfold power. Just then there arose a noise of voices in the court. Presently the sound of many footsteps was heard in the passage. The shuffling feet stopped at the door, and some one knocked loudly. With a strange foreboding at his heart, Aspel leaped up and opened it. Four men entered, bearing a stretcher. They placed it gently on the low truckle-bed in the corner, and, removing the cover, revealed the mangled and bloody but still breathing form of Abel Bones. "He seemed to be a bit unhinged in his mind," said one of the men in reply to Aspel's inquiring look--"was seen goin' recklessly across the road, and got run over. We would 'ave took 'im to the hospital, but he preferred to be brought here." "All right. George," said Bones in a low voice, "I'll be better in a little. It was an accident. Send 'em away, an' try if you can find my old girl and Tottie.--It is strange," he continued faintly, as Aspel bent over him, "that the lady I wanted to rob set me free, for Tottie's sake; and the boy I cast adrift in London risked his life for Tottie; and the man I tried to ruin saved her; and the man I have often cursed from my door has brought me at last to the Sinner's Friend. Strange! very strange!" CHAPTER TWENTY SIX. TELLS OF A SHAM FIGHT AND A REAL BATTLE. There are periods in the busy round of labour at the great heart in St. Martin's-le-Grand when some members of the community cease work for a time and go off to enjoy a holiday.