all its grievances to a twenty-four-foot 'ring' and an experienced
referee. But whilst there was a little diffidence amongst the men in
expressing their opinions about Frank, there was no reserve when they
came to tell of Ephraim Shine's method of improving the occasion with
prayer and preachment; and for a considerable time Harry had collected
bitterness till it threatened to choke him and bade him defy all his
mother's cautious principles.

Ephraim had given out the third verse, and the singing went on.

'Are you thinking?' whispered the girl. 'Do, do think! Think of the
disgrace of it.'

'Disgrace! There's the disgrace whining on the platform, the brute that
insults a woman in her sorrow, thinking there's no one handy to take it
out of the coward hide of him!

'It was wrong, Harry. I know it was wrong and cruel. I told him that, and
he has promised me never to do it again. He has promised me that, really,
truly.'

The word that slid through Harry's teeth was ferocious but inaudible.

'Say you won't do it!

The singing ceased suddenly, and the superintendent, who all the time had
kept a lowering and anxious eye on the young couple, gave out the third
verse again.

'Harry, you will not. Please say it!