runtohislodgings。Iwouldhavedoneitbefore，butIthoughtthey’dbehereeveryminute，andIwereafraidofmissingthem。I’llbebackinnotime。“No，mygoodfellow，Ireallymustgo。Besides，IbegintothinkJohnsonmusthavemadeamistake，andhavefixedwiththisWilliamWilsontomeetmeatthecourts。Ifyouliketowaitforhimhere，praymakeuseofmyroom；butI’veanotionIshallfindhimthere：inwhichcase，I’llsendhimtoyourlodgings；shallI？Youknowwheretofindme。Ishallbehereagainbyeighto’clock，andwiththeevidenceofthiswitnessthat’stoprovethealibi，I’llhavethebriefdrawnout，andinthehandsofcounselto-night。“Sosaying，heshookhandswithJob，andwenthisway。Theoldmanconsideredforaminuteashelingeredatthedoor，andthenbenthisstepstowardsMrsJones’s，whereheknewfromreferencetoqueer，odd，heterogeneousmemoranda，inanancientblack-leatherpocket-bookthatWilllodged，andwherehedoubtednotheshouldhearbothofhimandofMary。Hewentthere，andgatheredwhatintelligencehecouldoutofMrsJones’sslowreplies。Heaskedifayoungwomanhadbeentherethatmorning，andifshehadseenWillWilson。“No!““Whynot？““Why，blessyou，’causehehadsailedsomehoursbeforeshecameaskingforhim。“Therewasadeadsilence，brokenonlybytheeven，heavysoundofMrsJones’sironing。“Whereistheyoungwomannow？“askedJob。“Somewheredownatthedocks，“shethought。“Charleywouldknow，ifhewasin，buthewasn’t。Hewasinmischief，somewhereorother，shehadnodoubt。Boys。alwayswere。Hewouldbreakhisnecksomedaysheknew；“
　　sosaying，shequietlyspatuponherfreshiron，totestitsheat，andthenwentonwithherbusiness。Jobcouldhaveboxedher，hewasinsuchastateofirritation。Buthedidnot，andhehadhisreward。Charleycamein，whistlingwithanairofindifference，assumedtocarryoffhisknowledgeofthelatenessofthehourtowhichhehadlingeredaboutthedocks。“Here’sanoldmancometoknowwheretheyoungwomanis，whowentoutwiththeethismorning，“saidhismother，aftershehadbestowedonhimalittlemotherlyscolding。“Wheresheisnow，Idon’tknow。IsawherlastsailingdowntheriveraftertheJohnCropper。I’mafeardshewon’treachher；windchanged，andshewouldbeunderweigh，andoverthebarinnotime。Sheshouldhavebeenbackbynow。“IttookJobsomelittletimetounderstandthisfromtheconfuseduseofthefemininepronoun。ThenheinquiredhowhecouldbestfindMary。“I’llrundownagaintothepier，“saidtheboy；“I’llwarrantI’llfindher。““Thoushaltdonosuchthing，“saidhismother，settingherbackagainstthedoor。TheladmadeacomicalfaceatJob，whichmetwithnoresponsivelookfromtheoldman，whosesympathieswerenaturallyinfavouroftheparent，althoughhewouldthankfullyhaveavailedhimselfofCharley’soffer；forhewasweary，andanxioustoreturntopoorMrsWilson，whowouldbewonderingwhathadbecomeofhim。“HowcanIbestfindher？Whodidshegowith，lad？“ButCharleywassullenathismother’sexerciseofauthoritybeforeastranger，andatthatstranger’sravelookswhenhemeanttohavemadehimlaugh。“Theywereriverboatmen；——that’sallIknow，“saidhe。“Butwhatwasthenameoftheirboat？“perseveredJob。“Inevertooknonotice；——theAnne，orWilliam，——orsomeofthemcommonnames，I’llbebound。““Whatpierdidshestartfrom？“askedJob，despairingly。“Oh，asforthatmatteritwerethestairsonthePrince’sPiershestartedfrom；butshe’llnotcomebacktothesame，fortheAmericansteamercameupwiththetide，andanchoredclosetoit，blockingupthewayforallthesmallercraft。It’saroughevening，too，tobeouton，“hemaliciouslyadded。“Well，God’swillbedone!Ididhopewecouldhavesavedthelad，“saidJob，sorrowfully；“butI’mgettenverydoubtfulagain。I’muneasyaboutMarytoo，——very。She’sastrangerinLiverpool。““Soshetoldme，“saidCharley。“There’strapsaboutforyoungwomenateverycorner。It’sapityshehasnoonetomeetherwhenshelands。““Asforthat，“repliedJob，“Idon’tseehowanyonecouldmeetherwhenwecan’ttellwhereshewouldcometo。Imusttrusttohercomingright。
　　She’sgettenspiritandsense。She’llmostlikelybeforcominghereagain。
　　Indeed，Idon’tknowwhatelseshecando，forsheknowsnootherplaceinLiverpool。Missus，ifshecomes，willyougiveyoursonleavetobringhertoNo。8，BackGardenCourt，wherethere’sfriendswaitingforher？
　　I’llgivehimsixpenceforhistrouble。“MrsJones，pleasedwiththereferencetoher，gladlypromised。AndevenCharley，indignantashewasatfirstattheideaofhismotionsbeingunderthecontrolofhismother，wasmollifiedattheprospectofthesixpence，andattheprobabilityofgettingnearertotheheartofthemystery。ButMarynevercame。
　　Oh!sadisthenight-time，Thenight-timeofsorrow，Whenthroughthedeepgloom，wecatchbuttheboomOfthewavesthatmaywhelmusto-morrow。JobfoundMrsWilsonpacingaboutinarestlessway；notspeakingtothewomanatwhosehouseshewasstaying，butoccasionallyheavingsuchdeepoppressedsighs，asquitestartledthosearoundher。“Well!“saidshe，turningsharproundinhertotteringwalkupanddown，asJobcamein。“Well，speak!“repeatedshe，beforehecouldmakeuphismindwhattosay；
　　for，totellthetruth，hewasstudyingforsomekind-heartedliewhichmightsootheherforatime。Butnowtherealstateofthecasecameblurtingforthinanswertoherimpatientquestioning。“Will’snottothefore。Buthe’llmaybeturnupyet，timeenough。“Shelookedathimsteadilyforaminute，asifalmostdoubtingifsuchdespaircouldbeinstoreforherashiswordsseemedtoimply。Thensheslowlyshookherhead，andsaid，morequietlythanmighthavebeenexpectedfromherpreviousexcitedmanner，“Don’tgofortosaythat!Thoudostnotthinkit。Thou’rtwell-nighhopeless，likeme。Iseedallalongmyladwouldbehungforwhatheneverdid。Andbetterhewere，andwereshutofthiswearyworld，wherethere’sneitherjusticenormercyleft。“Shelookedupwithtrancedeyesasifprayingtothatthronewheremercyeverabideth，andthensatdown。“Nay，nowthou’rtoffatagallop，“saidJob。“Willhassailedthismorning，forsure；butthatbravewench，MaryBarton，isafterhim，andwillbringhimback，I’llbebound，ifshecanbutgetspeechonhim。She’snotbackyet。Come，come，holdupthyhead。Itwillallendright。““Itwillallendright，“echoedshe；“butnotasthoutak’stit。Jemwillbehung，andwillgotohisfatherandthelittlelads；wheretheLordGodwipesawayalltears，andwheretheLordJesusspeakskindlytothelittleones，wholookaboutforthemotherstheyleftuponearth。Eh，Job，yon’sablessedland，andIlongtogotoit，andyetIfretbecauseJemishasteningthere。IwouldnotfretifheandIcouldliedownto-nighttosleepourlastsleep；notabitwouldIfretiffolkwouldbutknowhimtobeinnocent——asIdo。“They’llknowitsoonerorlater，andrepentsoreifthey’vehangedhimforwhatheneverdid，“repliedJob。“Aye，thattheywill。Poorsouls!MayGodhavemercyonthemwhentheyfindouttheirmistake。“PresentlyJobgrewtiredofsittingwaiting，andgotup，andhungaboutthedoorandwindow，likesomeanimalwantingtogoout。Itwaspitchdark，forthemoonhadnotyetrisen。“Youjustgotobed，“saidhetothewidow，“you’llwantyourstrengthforto-morrow。Jemwillbesadlyoff，ifheseesyousocutupasyoulookto-night。I’llstepdownagainandfindMary。She’llbebackbythistime。
　　I’llcomeandtellyoueverything，neverfear。But，now，yougotobed。““Thou’rtakindfriend，JobLegh，andI’llgo，asthouwishestme。But，oh!mindthoucom’ststraightofftome，andbringMaryassoonasthou’stlitonher。“Shespokelow，butverycalmly。“Aye，aye!“repliedJob，slippingoutofthehouse。HewentfirsttoMrBridgenorth’s，whereithadstruckhimthatWillandMarymightbeallthistimewaitingforhim。Theywerenotthere，however。MrBridgenorthhadjustcomein，andJobwentbreathlesslyup-stairstoconsultwithhimastothestateofthecase。“It’sabadjob，“saidthelawyer，lookingverygrave，whilehearrangedhispapers。“Johnsontoldmehowitwas；thewomanthatWilsonlodgedwithtoldhim。Idoubtit’sbutawildgoosechaseofthegirlBarton。Ourcasemustrestontheuncertaintyofcircumstantialevidence，andthegoodnessoftheprisoner’spreviouscharacter。Averyvagueandweakdefence。However，I’veengagedMrClintonascounsel，andhe’llmakethebestofit。Andnow，mygoodfellow，Imustwishyougoodnight，andturnyououtofdoors。
　　Asitis，Ishallhavetositupintothesmallhours。Didyouseemyclerk，asyoucameup-stairs。Youdid？ThenmayItroubleyoutoaskhimtostepupimmediately。“AfterthisJobcouldnotstay，and，makinghishumblebow，helefttheroom。ThenhewenttoMrsJones’s。Shewasin，butCharleyhadslippedoffagain。
　　Therewasnoholdingthatboy。Nothingkepthimbutlockandkey，andtheydidnotalways；for，once，shehadhimlockedupinthegarret，andhehadgotoffthroughtheskylight。Perhaps，nowhewasgonetoseeaftertheyoungwomandownatthedocks。Heneverwantedanexcusetobethere。Unasked，Jobtookachair，resolvedtoawaitCharley’sre-appearance。MrsJonesironedandfoldedherclothes，talkingallthetimeofCharleyandherhusbandwhowasasailorinsomeshipboundforIndia，andwho，inleavinghertheirboy，hadevidentlyleftherrathermorethanshecouldmanage。Shemoanedandcroakedoversailors，andseaporttowns，andstormyweather，andsleeplessnights，andtrousersallovertarandpitch，longafterJobhadleftoffattendingtoher，andwasonlytryingtohearkentoeverystep，andeveryvoiceinthestreet。AtlastCharleycamein，buthecamealone。“YonMaryBartonhasgettenintosomescrapeoranother，“saidhe，addressinghimselftoJob。“She’snottobeheardofatanyofthepiers；andBournesaysitwereaboatfromtheCheshiresideasshewentaboardof。Sothere’snohearingofhertillto-morrowmorning。““To-morrowmorningshe’llhavetobeincourtatnineo’clock，tobearwitnessonatrial，“saidJob，sorrowfully。“Soshesaid；atleastsomewhatofthekind，“saidCharley，lookingdesiroustohearmore。ButJobwassilent。Hecouldnotthinkofanythingfurtherthatcouldbedone；soheroseup，and，thankingMrsJonesforthesheltershehadgivenhim，hewentoutintothestreet；andtherehestoodstill，toponderoverprobabilitiesandchances。AftersomelittletimeheslowlyturnedtowardsthelodgingwherehehadleftMrsWilson。Therewasnothingelsetobedone；butheloiteredontheway，ferventlyhopingthatherwearinessandherwoesmighthavesenthertosleepbeforehisreturn，thathemightbesparedherquestionings。Hewentverygentyintothehouse-placewherethesleepylandladyawaitedhiscomingandhisbringingthegirl，who，shehadbeentold，wastosharetheoldwoman’sbed。Butinhersleepyblindnesssheknockedthingssoaboutinlightingthecandleshecouldseetohaveanapbyfire-light，shesaid，thatthevoiceofMrsWilsonwasheardfromthelittleback-room，whereshewastopassthenight。“Who’sthere？“Jobgavenoanswer，andkeptdownhisbreath，thatshemightthinkherselfmistaken。Thelandlady，havingnosuchcare，droppedthesnufferswithasharpmetallicsound，andthen，byherendlessapologies，convincedthelisteningwomanthatJobhadreturned。“Job!JobLegh!“shecriedoutnervously。“Eh，dear!“saidJob，tohimself，goingreluctantlytoherbedroomdoor。