"Gone!" exclaimed both gentlemen. "Where?"

"Canada," said the woman. "She went off this morning."

Mr. Kidd leaned up against the wall for support; Mr. Brown stood open-
mouthed and voiceless.

"It was a surprise to me," said the woman, "but she told me this morning
she's been getting ready on the quiet for the last fortnight. Good
spirits she was in, too; laughing like anything."

"Laughing!" repeated Mr. Kidd, in a terrible voice.

The woman nodded. "And when I spoke about it and reminded 'er that she
'ad only just lost 'er pore husband, I thought she would ha' burst," she
said, severely. "She sat down on that stair and laughed till the tears
ran dowwn 'er face like water."

Mr. Brown turned a bewildered face upon his partner. "Laughing!" he
said, slowly. "Wot 'ad she got to laugh at?"

"Two born-fools," replied Mr. Kidd.






GOOD INTENTIONS