106 THE BUBBLE BURST.
two. “ Here is gold broken between us,” said he,

“ keep one half for my sake !”

“It is cut, not broken,” said the old woman,
“ and that is unlucky.”

“Money,” said Jessie, ‘ was not needed between
us—what nonsense it was to do so—a lock of your
hair would have been better—or, best of all, nothing
—for true-love needs no token—yet I will not refuse
your gift,” said she, putting the gold into her bosom.
~—Now farewell—and when I am evil spoken of—do
not let your heart be ashamed of me! ”

“* Never,” said Williams; “ the worse they say the
better shall I love you!”

No sooner was Williams ont of the house than he
thought how foolishly he had done in sacrificing the
guinea! How much wiser she was than himself !
He could not now pay Evans, and there was nothing
to do but go home to breakfast.

“It never rains but it pours,” says one proverb; and
another, which means the same thing, says that
“ misfortunes never come alone.” It was so now with
poor Williams. But before he reached home we must
mention what he saw as he left the patten-maker’s
door. A group of men and boys were tearing down
from the walls the players’ bills, and daubing those
which they could not reach, with mud. It was as
Jessie had said; public abhorrence had set in against
the players.

When Williams arrived at home, who should be
standing in the shop but Evans ; fortunately Reynolds
alone was there.

“Oh,” said Williams, without allowing Evans
time to speak, “ I have been in search of you—there’s
a guinea for you. What do you come after me for 2?”

““ After you,” said Evans, looking at the guinea