104 THE BUBBLE BURST.

felt as if, from this time forth, she should show
them nothing but kindness, for this was indeed a sore
grief that would cut them up sadly, “ Poor Miss
Kendricks!” that was the beginning and the end of
their consultations.

Very little sleep, too, was there in the apprentices’
room; none at all in Williams's bed. Now he
thought of throwing himself at his aunt and uncle’s
feet, and confessing his love for Jessie and begging them
to see and to hear her—if he could not move them,
he was sure she could! Now he thought of confess-
ing to having taken the money, and leaving Jessie to
stand or fall, trusting to the future as regarded her;
for their own credit’s sake, he believed that they
would shield him from public disgrace; then he
tried how it would be if he steadfastly declared the
light guinea to have been given him by Mrs, Osborne
—but then came the difficulty about its being
changed at Reeves’s, It was a bad, entangled affair,
and he vowed with himself, that once clear of it, and
all his little debts paid, he never would get into any
such mess again !

The next morning he was up early, and set out to
pay Evans and have done with him. Unfortunately,
however, he went a little out of his way that he
might pass the patten-maker’s, and thus have the
pleasure of passing the house that held Jessie. A
slight tap at the parlour-window arrested his steps.
It was old Mrs, Bellamy, who in her old night-cap
stood there, and beckoned him in. Jessie was down
also, and, early as it was, they were going to breakfast.

“ We shall not now remain many days here,” said
Jessie on his entrance, “ if, indeed, many hours,
You are angry with me I know, but you will pre-~