door.

"That girl," said he, with, a frown--"where did you pick her up? At the
wharf?"

"I met her there. She was walking about outside, afraid to go in. The
old woman had left her there alone, with a--a--dead body in the place."

At these words a change came over Dudley's face.

"You had better have left her alone," said he, sharply. "I wonder you
hadn't more sense than to take up with a girl like that."

Max fired up indignantly.

"Like what? There's nothing wrong with the girl--nothing whatever.
Surely her behavior to-night showed you that."

"Her behavior!" said Dudley, mockingly. "Do you mean her behavior to me,
or to you?"

"Both. It was that of a modest, straightforward girl."

"Very straightforward--to me. Very modest to you. But I would not waste
too much time over her virtues if I were you."

"I don't want to waste any," replied Max, shortly. "I don't see how we
can shake her off, since she has offered to go back to the wharf with
us. But I shall only be alone with her for the few minutes you leave us
here. Or, better still, I'll go with you, and wait while you see your