. »You are to go with me.«
    »What for?« asked Oliver, recoiling.
    »What for?« echoed the girl, raising her eyes, and averting them again, the
moment they encountered the boy's face. »Oh! For no harm.«
    »I don't believe it,« said Oliver; who had watched her closely.
    »Have it your own way,« rejoined the girl, affecting to laugh. »For no good,
then.«
    Oliver could see that he had some power over the girl's better feelings,
and, for an instant, thought of appealing to her compassion for his helpless
state. But, then, the thought darted across his mind that it was barely eleven
o'clock; and that many people were still in the streets: of whom surely some
might be found to give credence to his tale. As the reflection occurred to him,
he stepped forward: and said, somewhat hastily, that he was ready.
    Neither his brief consideration, nor its purport, was lost on his companion.
She eyed him narrowly, while he spoke; and cast upon him a look of intelligence
which sufficiently showed that she guessed what had been passing in his
thoughts.
    »Hush!« said the girl, stooping over him, and pointing to the door as she
looked cautiously round. »You can't help yourself. I have tried hard for you,
but all to no purpose. You are hedged round and round. If ever you are to get
loose from here, this is not the time.«
    Struck by the energy of her manner, Oliver looked up in her face with great
surprise. She seemed to speak the truth; her countenance was white and agitated;
and she trembled with very earnestness.
    »I have saved you from being ill-used once, and I will again, and I do now,«
continued the girl aloud; »for those who would have fetched you, if I had not,
would have been far more rough than me. I have promised for your being quiet and
silent; if you are not, you will only do harm to yourself and me too, and
perhaps be my death. See here! I have borne all this for you already, as true as
God sees me show it.«
    She pointed, hastily, to some livid bruises on her neck and arms; and
continued, with great rapidity:
    »Remember this! And don't let me suffer more for you, just now. If I could
help you,
