Jessie gazed at him in a frightened manner, and then dropped her head lower over her machine, while her hands trembled so that she could hardly direct her work. "I say, Jessie, my gal, how much did you draw this morning?" "None, father," said Jessie, with a sob. And then, covering her face with her hands, she burst into a passion of weeping. "Why, Jess, my gal--Jess!" cried Dick, dropping stirrup-leather and boot. "Here, you sir: here's a penny. Go down to Wilson's and get a pen'orth o' wax." "But here is plenty, master," said the boy. "Go down to Wilson's and get a pen'orth o' wax," said Dick sternly. "Hadn't I better go to Singley's, sir? it ain't half so far." "Go and get a pen'orth o' wax at Wilson's," said Dick angrily. And he saw the boy off the premises before he crossed to Jessie. "Why, what's the matter, my pretty one?" he said tenderly. "Oh, father dear, don't be cross with me," she sobbed. "I couldn't tell you before." "Just as if your poor stoopid old goose of a father could be cross with you!" he said, fondling her and drawing her close to his heart. "At least," he added, "I could be cross, but not with anything you'd go and do. Now, then, what's the matter?" "Oh, father, I can never go to the warehouse again." "What?" said Dick; "not go--" "No, father," she sobbed: "that man--" She stopped short, and Dick, with his face working, patted her tenderly on the shoulder, and then rolled up his sleeves. "It's only father, my precious: tell him all about it," he whispered. As he spoke he made a sign to Mrs Shingle to be silent. "That man, father," she sobbed hysterically--"several times lately--insulted me-- dare not say anything--the money--you so poor, dear!" "Jessie," cried Dick, in a choking voice, "my poor darling,--if I'd known!" "Yes, father dear, I know," she cried, placing her arm round his neck and kissing him tenderly; "but you wanted the money so badly, I would not speak." "But it was wrong, my darling," he said angrily. "But tell me--all." "This morning--I went," she faltered, "and there was no one in the room, and he caught me in his arms--and kissed me," she sobbed, with her face like crimson. Then, indignantly, "I screamed out, and Tom--" "Was Tom there?" cried Dick reproachfully. "Yes, father; I could not help his being there. We had never spoken since that dreadful day, when Uncle Max--" "Yes," said Dick hastily: "go on." "But he has come and watched me every day, father, at a distance, and seen me go to and from the warehouse." "Bless him!" muttered Dick. "And when I shrieked out," continued Jessie, with a look of pride lighting up her face, "Tom rushed in; and, oh, father, it was very dreadful!" "What was?" said Dick hoarsely, for he was evidently suffering from suppressed passion. "Tom!" "Mr Thomas Fraser, my gal?" "Mr Thomas beat him dreadfully," continued Jessie, "till he cried for mercy; and dear Tom--" "Mr Thomas, my gal," said Dick, correcting.