"I'm unjust, am I--" An interruption occurred, and Mrs.Jones subsided into silence.

The back-door suddenly opened, not a couple of yards from that lady's head, and in came Mrs.Gum in her ordinary indoor dress, two basins in her hand.

The sight of her visitor appeared to occasion her surprise; she uttered a faint scream, and nearly dropped the basins.
"Lawk a mercy! Is it Lydia Jones ?" Mrs.Jones had been drawing a quiet deduction--the clerk had said his wife was out only to deceive her.

She rose from her chair, and faced him.
"I thought you told me she was gone out ?" The clerk coughed.

He looked at his wife, as if asking an explanation.
The meeker of the two women hastily put her basins down, and stood looking from one to the other, apparently recovering breath.
"Didn't you go out ?" asked the clerk.
"I was going, Gum, but stepped out first to collect my basins, and then the rain came down.