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64 of surprise, which perhaps might mean that Barney was at liberty to tell the truth. ; “ Dobody but Biss Dadsy,” replied Barney. ás Miss Nancy!” exclaimed Sikes, “Where? Strike me blind, if I don’t honour that’ere girl for her native talents.” c She ’s bid havid a plate of boiled beef id the bar,” replied Barney. c Send her here," said Sikes, pouring eut a glass of liquor; ‘ send her here.” Barney looked timidly at Fagin, as if for permission ; the Jew remaining silent, and not lifting his eyes from the ground, he retired, and presently returned ushering in Miss Nancy, who was decorated with the bonnet, apron, basket, and streetdoor key complete. ‘You are on the scent, are you, Nancy ?” inquired Sikes, profiering the glass. “Yes, I am, Bill,” replied the young lady, disposing of its contents ; " and tired enough of it l am, too. The young brat’s been ill and confined to the crib; and———” 6 Ah, Nancy, dear!” said Fagin, looking up. ow, whether a peculiar contraction of the Jew’s red eyebrows, and a halfclosing of his deeply-set eyes, warned Miss Nancy that she was disposed to be too communicative, is not a matter of much importance. The fact is all we need care for here; and the fact is, that she suddenly checked herself, and, with several gracious smiles upon Mr. Sikes, turned the conversation to other matters. In about ten minutes’ time, Mr. Fagin was seized with a fit of coughing, upon which Miss Nancy pulled her shaw! over her shoulders, and declared it was time to go. Mr. Sikes, finding that he was walking a short part of her way himself, expressed his intention of accompanying her: and they went away together, followed at a little distance by the dog, who slunk out of a back-yard as soon as his master was out of sight. door when Sikes had left, looked after him as he walked up the dark passage, shook his clenched fist, muttered a deep curse, himself at the table, where he was soon deeply absorbed in the interesting pages of the Hue and Cry. Meanwhile Oliver Twist, little dreaming that he was witain so very short a distance of the merry old gentleman, was on his way to the book-stall. When he got into a by-street which was not exactly in his way ; but not discovering his mistake till he had got half-way down it, and knowi it must ead in the right direction, he di not think it worth while to turn back, and so marched on as quickly as he could, with the books under his arm. He was walking along, thinking how happy and contented he ought to feel, and how much he would give for only one look at poor little Dick, who, starved and beaten, might be lying dead at that very moment, when he was startled by a young woman screaming out very loud, “ Oh, my dear brother!" and he had hardly looked up to see what the matter was, when he was stopped by having a pair of arms thrown tight round his neck. 6 Dont! cried Oliver, struggling. “Let go of me. Whoisit? What are you stopping me for?” The only reply to this, was a great number of loud lamentations from the young woman who had embraced him, and who had got a little basket and a streetdoor key in her hand. “Oh my gracious!” said the young woman, “I’ve found him! Oh, Oliver! Oliver! Oh, you naughty boy, to make me suffer such distress on your account! Come home, dear, come. Oh, I’ve found him. Thank gracious goodness heavins, I’ve found him!” With these incoherent exclamations the young woman burst into another fit of crying, and got so dreadfully hysterical, that a couple of women who came up at the moment asked a butcher’s boy, with a shiny head of hair anointed with suet, who was also looking on, whether he didn’t think he had better run for the doctor. "To which the butcher’s boy, who appeared of a lounging, not to say indolent disposition, replied that he thought not. c Oh, no, no, never mind,” said the young woman, grasping Oliver’s hand; “I’m better now. Come home directly, you cruel boy, come.” “ What’s the matter, ma’am ?” inquired one of the women. “Oh, ma’am,” replied the young woman, "he ran away near a month ago from his parents, who are hard-working and respectable people, and joined a set of thieves and bad characters, and almost broke his mother’s heart.” “ Young wretch !” said one woman. c Go home, do, you little brute,” said the other. “T’m not,” replied Oliver, greatly 6 [ don’t know her. I haven't
