Hallett left quite early, to see that Mrs Hallett was properly attended to, and he moreover undertook to speak to either Mr Ruddle or Mr Lister about my absence, as, joined to my desire to stay with poor Revitts, Hallett wished me to bear his sister company. Our patient was on the whole very quiet, but at times he moved his head to and fro and talked loudly, much being unintelligible, but I saw Linny's countenance change several times as she heard him threaten the man he looked upon as an enemy. "Can I do anything for you?" said Linny to him on one occasion, as he tried to raise himself upon his arm and stared at her wildly. "'Taint as if I'd got my staff out to him, you know," he said in a whisper. "He's a coward, that's what he is, and I shall know him again, and if I do come acrost him--ah!" Linny shrank away, with her eyes looking wild and strange, so that I thought she was frightened by his words, and I interposed and put my arm under the poor fellow's head. "Lie down, Bill," I said. "Does your head hurt you?" "I don't mind about my head," he muttered, "but such a coward; treat a little bit of a girl like that. Where's my notebook? Here, it's time I went. Where's that boy?" he cried angrily; "I know what London is. I won't have him stop out of a night." He sank back exhausted, and as I turned from him to speak to Linny, I saw that she was in tears. "He frightens you," I said; "but you needn't be afraid." "Oh no! I'm not," she cried; "it's only because I'm low and nervous. I shall be better soon." The surgeon came twice that day, and said the case was serious, but that there was no cause for alarm. "He gives no clue, I suppose, to who struck him, my boy?" he said. "No, sir," I replied; "he talks about some man, and says he would know him again." "The police are trying hard to find out how it was. If they could find the girl it would be easy." I was just going to say, "Here she is, sir!" when I happened to glance at Linny, who was pale as ashes, and stood holding up her hand to me to be silent. This confused me so that I hardly understood what the surgeon said, only that he wanted a stronger and more mature person to attend to Revitts; but when I told him that the landlady came up to help he was satisfied, and left, saying that he should come in again. He was no sooner gone than Linny caught me by the arm. "Oh, what an escape!" she cried; "Antony, you know how wilful and cruel I have been to poor Steve?" "Yes," I said, nodding my head. "And you know how I have promised him that I will always do as he wishes?" "Yes, I know that too," I said; "and I hope you will." "I will--indeed I will, Antony," she wailed; "but please promise me, pray promise me, that no one shall ever know besides us that it was I whom Mr Revitts here--a--protected." "But the wretch of a fellow who behaved so badly to you, and beat poor Revitts like this, ought to be punished."