was　a　loud　bell；　used　to　summon　a　servant　from　the　college　to
  open　the　gates；　for　though　there　was　a　porter's　lodge；　it　was
  uninhabited。
  〃Who　on　earth　can　it　be？〃　said　Agatha。　〃Can't　they　find　the
  wicket；　the　idiots？〃
  〃Oh；　I　hope　not！　Do　come　upstairs；　Agatha。〃
  〃No；　I　won't。　Go　you；　if　you　like。〃　But　Gertrude　was　afraid　to　go
  alone。　〃I　think　I　had　better　waken　Miss　Wilson；　and　tell　her；〃
  continued　Agatha。　〃It　seems　awful　to　shut　anybody　out　on　such　a
  night　as　this。〃
  〃But　we　don't　know　who　it　is。〃
  〃Well；　I　suppose　you　are　not　afraid　of　them；　in　any　case；〃　said
  Agatha；　knowing　the　contrary；　but　recognizing　the　convenience　of
  shaming　Gertrude　into　silence。
  They　listened　again。　The　storm　was　now　very　boisterous；　and　they
  could　not　hear　the　bell。　Suddenly　there　was　a　loud　knocking　at
  the　house　door。　Gertrude　screamed；　and　her　cry　was　echoed　from
  the　rooms　above；　where　several　girls　had　heard　the　knocking　also；
  and　had　been　driven　by　it　into　the　state　of　mind　which
  accompanies　the　climax　of　a　nightmare。　Then　a　candle　flickered　on
  the　stairs；　and　Miss　Wilson's　voice；　reassuringly　firm；　was
  heard。
  〃Who　is　that？〃
  〃It　is　I；　Miss　Wilson；　and　Gertrude。　We　have　been　watching　the
  storm；　and　there　is　some　one　knocking　at　the〃　A　tremendous
  battery　with　the　knocker；　followed　by　a　sound；　confused　by　the
  gale；　as　of　a　man　shouting；　interrupted　her。
  〃They　had　better　not　open　the　door；〃　said　Miss　Wilson；　in　some
  alarm。　〃You　are　very　imprudent；　Agatha；　to　stand　here。　You　will
  catch　your　death　ofDear　me！　What　can　be　the　matter？　She　hurried
  down；　followed　by　Agatha；　Gertrude；　and　some　of　the　braver
  students；　to　the　hall；　where　they　found　a　few　shivering　servants
  watching　the　housekeeper；　who　was　at　the　keyhole　of　the　house
  door；　querulously　asking　who　was　there。　She　was　evidently　not
  heard　by　those　without；　for　the　knocking　recommenced　whilst　she
  was　speaking；　and　she　recoiled　as　if　she　had　received　a　blow　on
  the　mouth。　Miss　Wilson　then　rattled　the　chain　to　attract
  attention；　and　demanded　again　who　was　there。
  〃Let　us　in；〃　was　returned　in　a　hollow　shout　through　the　keyhole。
  〃There　is　a　dying　woman　and　three　children　here。　Open　the　door。〃
  Miss　Wilson　lost　her　presence　of　mind。　To　gain　time；　she　replied；
  〃II　can't　hear　you。　What　do　you　say？〃
  〃Damnation！〃　said　the　voice；　speaking　this　time　to　some　one
  outside。　〃They　can't　hear。〃　And　the　knocking　recommenced　with
  increased　urgency。　Agatha；　excited；　caught　Miss　Wilson's　dressing
  gown；　and　repeated　to　her　what　the　voice　had　said。　Miss　Wilson
  had　heard　distinctly　enough；　and　she　felt；　without　knowing
  clearly　why；　that　the　door　must　be　opened；　but　she　was　almost
  over…mastered　by　a　vague　dread　of　what　was　to　follow。　She　began
  to　undo　the　chain；　and　Agatha　helped　with　the　bolts。　Two　of　the
  servants　exclaimed　that　they　were　all　about　to　be　murdered　in
  their　beds；　and　ran　away。　A　few　of　the　students　seemed　inclined
  to　follow　their　example。　At　last　the　door；　loosed；　was　blown　wide
  open；　flinging　Miss　Wilson　and　Agatha　back；　and　admitting　a
  whirlwind　that　tore　round　the　hall；　snatched　at　the　women's
  draperies；　and　blew　out　the　lights。　Agatha；　by　a　hash　of
  lightning；　saw　for　an　instant　two　men　straining　at　the　door　like
  sailors　at　a　capstan。　Then　she　knew　by　the　cessation　of　the
  whirlwind　that　they　had　shut　it。　Matches　were　struck；　the　candles
  relighted；　and　the　newcomers　clearly　perceived。
  Smilash；　bareheaded；　without　a　coat；　his　corduroy　vest　and
  trousers　heavy　with　rain；　a　rough…looking；　middle…aged　man；
  poorly　dressed　like　a　shepherd；　wet　as　Smilash；　with　the
  expression；　piteous；　patient；　and　desperate；　of　one　hard　driven
  by　ill…fortune；　and　at　the　end　of　his　resources；　two　little
  children；　a　boy　and　a　girl；　almost　naked；　cowering　under　an　old
  sack　that　had　served　them　as　an　umbrella；　and；　lying　on　the
  settee　where　the　two　men　had　laid　it；　a　heap　of　wretched　wearing
  apparel；　sacking；　and　rotten　matting；　with　Smilash's　coat　and
  sou'wester；　the　whole　covering　a　bundle　which　presently　proved　to
  be　an　exhausted　woman　with　a　tiny　infant　at　her　breast。　Smilash's
  expression；　as　he　looked　at　her；　was　ferocious。
  〃Sorry　fur　to　trouble　you；　lady；〃　said　the　man；　after　glancing
  anxiously　at　Smilash；　as　if　he　had　expected　him　to　act　as
  spokesman；　〃but　my　roof　and　the　side　of　my　house　has　gone　in　the
  storm；　and　my　missus　has　been　having　another　little　one；　and　I　am
  sorry　to　ill…convenience　you；　Miss；　butbut〃
  〃Inconvenience！〃　exclaimed　Smilash。　〃It　is　the　lady's　privilege
  to　relieve　youher　highest　privilege！〃
  The　little　boy　here　began　to　cry　from　mere　misery；　and　the　woman
  roused　herself　to　say；　〃For　shame；　Tom！　before　the　lady；〃　and
  then　collapsed；　too　weak　to　care　for　what　might　happen　next　in
  the　world。　Smilash　looked　impatiently　at　Miss　Wilson；　who
  hesitated；　and　said　to　him：
  〃What　do　you　expect　me　to　do？〃
  〃To　help　us；〃　he　replied。　Then；　with　an　explosion　of　nervous
  energy；　he　added：　〃Do　what　your　heart　tells　you　to　do。　Give　your
  bed　and　your　clothes　to　the　woman；　and　let　your　girls　pitch　their
  books　to　the　devil　for　a　few　days　and　make　something　for　these
  poor　little　creatures　to　wear。　The　poor　have　worked　hard　enough
  to　clothe　THEM。　Let　them　take　their　turn　now　and　clothe　the
  poor。〃
  〃No；　no。　Steady；　master；〃　said　the　man；　stepping　forward　to
  propitiate　Miss　Wilson；　and　evidently　much　oppressed　by　a　sense
  of　unwelcomeness。　〃It　ain't　any　fault　of　the　lady's。　Might　I　make
  so　bold　as　to　ask　you　to　put　this　woman　of　mine　anywhere　that　may
  be　convenient　until　morning。　Any　sort　of　a　place　will　do；　she's
  accustomed　to　rough　it。　Just　to　have　a　roof　over　her　until　I　find
  a　room　in　the　village　where　we　can　shake　down。〃　Here；　led　by　his
  own　words　to　contemplate　the　future；　he　looked　desolately　round
  the　cornice　of　the　hall；　as　if　it　were　a　shelf　on　which　somebody
  might　have　left　a　suitable　lodging　for　him。
  Miss　Wilson　turned　her　back　decisively　and　contemptuously　on
  Smilash。　She　had　recovered　herself。　〃I　will　keep　your　wife　here；〃
  she　said　to　the　man。　〃Every　care　shall　be　taken　of　her。　The
  children　can　stay　too。〃
  〃Three　cheers　for　moral　science！〃　cried　Smilash；　ecstatically
  breaking　into　the　outrageous　dialect　he　had　forgotten　in　his
  wrath。　〃Wot　was　my　words　to　you；　neighbor；　when　I　said　we　should
  bring　your　missus　to　the　college；　and　you　said；　ironical…like；
  'Aye；　and　bloomin'　glad　they'll　be　to　see　us　there。'　Did　I　not
  say　to　you　that　the　lady　had　a　noble　'art；　and　would　show　it　when
  put　to　the　test　by　sech　a　calamity　as　this？〃
  〃Why　should　you　bring　my　hasty　words　up　again'　me　now；　master；
  when　the　lady　has　been　so　kind？〃　said　the　man　with　emotion。　〃I　am
  humbly　grateful　to　you；　Miss；　and　so　is　Bess。　We　are　sensible　of
  the　ill…convenience　we〃
  Miss　Wilson；　who　had　been　conferring　with　the　housekeeper；　cut
  his　speech　short　by　ordering　him　to　carry　his　wife　to　bed；　which
  he　did　with　the　assistance　of　Smilash；　now　jubilant。　Whilst　they
  were　away；　one　of　the　servants；　bidden　to　bring　some　blankets　to
  the　woman's　room；　refused；saying　that　she　was　not　going　to　wait
  on　that　sort　of　people。　Miss　Wilson　gave　her　warning　almost
  fiercely　to　quit　the　college　next　day。　This　excepted；　no　ill…will
  was　shown　to　the　refugees。　The　young　ladies　were　then　requested
  to　return　to　bed。
  Meanwhile　the　man；　having　laid　his　wife　in　a　chamber　palatial　in
  comparison　with　that　which　the　storm　had　blown　about　her　ears；
  was　congratulating　her　on　her　luck；　and　threatening　the　children
  with　the　most　violent　chastisement　if　they　failed　to　behave
  themselves　with　strict　propriety　whilst　they　remained　in　that
  house。　Before　leaving　them　he　kissed　his　wife；　and　she；　reviving；
  asked　him　to　look　at　the　baby。　He　did　so；　and　pensively
  apostrophized　it　with　a　shocking　epithet　in　anticipation　of　the
  time　when　its　appetite　must　be　satisfied　from　the　provision　shop
  instead　of　from　its　mother's　breast。　She　laughed　and　cried　shame
  on　him；　and　so　they　parted　cheerfully。　When　he　returned　to　the
  hall　with　Smilash　they　found　two　mugs　of　beer　waiting　for　them。
  The　girls　had　retired；　and　only　Miss　Wilson　and　the　housekeeper
  remained。
  〃Here's　your　health；　mum；〃　said　the　man；　before　drinking；　〃and
  may　you　find　such　another　as　yourself　to　help　you　when　you're　in
  trouble；　which　Lord　send　may　never　come！〃
  〃Is　your　house　quite　destroyed？〃　said　Miss　Wilson。　〃Where　will
  you　spend　the　night？〃
  〃Don't　you　think　of　me；　mum。　Master　Smilash　here　will　kindly　put
  me　up　'til　morning。〃
  〃His　health！〃　said　Smilash；　touching　the　mug　with　his　lips。
  〃The　roof　and　south　wall　is　browed　right　away；〃　continued　the
  man；　after　pausing　for　a　moment　to　puzzle　over　Smilash's　meaning。
  〃I　doubt　if　there's　a　stone　of　it　standing　by　this。〃
  〃But　Sir　John　will　build　it　for　you　again。　You　are　one　of　his
  herds；　are　you　not？〃
  〃I　am；　Miss。　But　not　he；　he'll　be　glad　it's　down。　He　don't　like
  people　livin'　on　the　land。　I　have　told　him　time　and　again　that
  the　place　was　ready　to　fall；　but　he　said　I　couldn't　expect　him　to
  lay　out　money　on　a　house　that　he　got　no　rent　for。　You　see；　Miss；
  I　didn't　pay　any　rent。　I　took　low　wages；　and　the　bit　of　a　hut　was
  a　sort　of　set…off　again'　what　I　was　paid　short　of　the　other　men。
  I　couldn't　affo