Blair Collection > Rhys Lewis, minister of Bethel

396 RHYS LEWIS.
"Well, old soot-in-the-soup, are you tired of -waiting?" he
asked. " Tou must excuse me for not coming by cab; the
nag was dead tired, and we haven't far to walk to my crib.
Now let us have a little of your 'stranger than fiction.' I
know by your jib you're in a row. Where in the wide world
have you come from ? D'ye know what ? I have been thinking
about you thousands of times and asking what if Providence
were to tumble us across each other, some day ? But, weary
pilgrim, tell thy tale !"
"First of all, Will," said I, " did you find out where old
Nic'las went to? "
"Yes, and got a tanner for doing so," replied Will. "It
was only after leaving you it struck me how difficult it would
be to dog a chap in a cab, so I drove up straight to my nabs,
and said, ' step in, sir ;' as if I meant to give him a lift for no-
thing, you know. The old boy rose to the bait. ' Sixty-fivo
Gregg Street," said he, and when I put him down, ha gave me
sixpence. We shan't be two minutes passing the house. I'll
show it you. But what's the row ? What's the meaning of
all this ? Spout ! "
It was no uneasy or roundabout task to explain to Will my
object in coming to B , he knowing more of my and my
family's history than anybody else. I gave him a brief account
of what had happened to me after he made his "exit," to all of
which he listened with deep interest, I knew I could reckon upon
his confidence and help. Indeed, but for so Providential a
meeting, the one-half of my errand to the town would have
been left unfulfilled. We walked, arm in arm, without my
looking where we were going to, although I was conscious of
being led through various streets, and of having turned to the
right and the left many times. I had just finished relating
what I had seen in the Old Bailey, when Will pulled up and
said softly, " Here it is." I looked about me, and saw we were
in a narrow, quiet street. The houses were high and, judging
from the number of windows, contained a great many occu-
pants. There were shutters upon the lower windows. Will
whispered me again: "Here's the house — 65, Gregg Street.
It was to this old Nick went. We had better ask if supper's
ready ? A strange feeling came over me, which I cannot