“Iwonderifonelittleliewouldbeasin，asthingsstand？Itwouldhappengivehersleep，andshewon’thavesleepformanyandmanyanightnottocallsleep，ifthingsgoeswrongto-morrow。I’llchanceit，anyway。““Job!areyouthere？“askedsheagain，withatremblingimpatiencethattoldineverytoneofhervoice。“Aye!sure!Ithoughtthou’dha’beenasleepbythistime。““Asleep!HowcouldIsleeptillIknow’difWillwerefound？““Nowforit，“mutteredJobtohimself。Theninaloudervoice，“Neverfear!
he’sfound，andsafe，readyforto-morrow。““Andhe’llprovethatthingformypoorlad；willhe？He’llbearwitnessthatJemwerewithhim？Oh，Job，speak!tellmeall!““Inforapenny，inforapound，“thoughtJob。“Happenoneprayerwilldoforthesumtotal。Anyrate，Imustgoonnow。Aye，aye，“shoutedhethroughthedoor。“Hecanproveall；andJemwillcomeoffasclearasanew-bornbabe。“HecouldhearMrsWilson’srustlingmovementsandinaninstantguessedshewasonherknees，forheheardhertremblingvoiceupliftedinthanksgivingandpraisetoGod，stoppedattimesbysobsofgladnessandrelief。Andwhenheheardthis，hisheartmisgavehim；forhethoughtoftheawfulenlightening，theterriblerevulsionoffeelingthatawaitedherinthemorning。Hesawtheshort-sightednessoffalsehood；butwhatcouldhedonow？Whilehelistened，sheendedhergratefulprayers。“AndMary？Thou’stfoundheratMrsJones’s，Job？“saidshe，continuingherinquiries。Hegaveagreatsigh。“Yes，shewasthere，safeenough，secondtimeofgoing。Godforgiveme!“
mutteredhe，“who’dha’thoughtofmyturningoutsuchanarrantliarinmyolddays。““Blessthewench!Isshehere？Whydoesnotshecometobed？I’msureshe’sneed。“Jobcoughedawayhisremainsofconscience，andmadeanswer，“Shewasabitweary，ando’erdonewithhersail；andMrsJonesaxedhertostaythereallnight。Itwasnighathandtothecourts，whereshewillhavetobeinthemorning。““Itcomeseasyenoughafterawhile，“groanedoutJob。“Thefatheroflieshelpsone，Isuppose，fornowmyspeechcomesasnaturalastruth。She’sdonequestioningnow，that’sonegoodthing。I’llbeoffbeforeSatanandsheareatmeagain。“Hereturnedtothehouse-place，wherethelandladystood，wearilywaiting。
Herhusbandwasinbed，andasleeplongago。ButJobhadnotyetmadeuphismindwhattodo。Hecouldnotgotosleep，withallhisanxieties，ifhewereputintothebestbedinLiverpool。“Thou’ltletmesitupinthisarm-chair，“saidheatlength，tothewoman，whostood，expectinghisdeparture。Hewasanoldfriend，soshelethimdoashewished。But，indeed，shewastoosleepytohaveopposedhim。Shewastoogladtobereleased，andgotobed。
TothinkThatallthislonginterminablenight，WhichIhavepassedinthinkingontwowords——’Guilty’——’NotGuilty!’——likeonehappymomentO’ermanyaheadhathflownunheededby；O’erhappysleepersdreamingintheirblissOfbrightto-morrows——orfarhappierstill，Withdeepbreathburiedinforgetfulness。OallthedismallestimagesofdeathDidswimbeforemyeyes!WILSON。Andnow，wherewasMary？HowJob’sheartwouldhavebeenrelievedofoneofitscaresifhecouldhaveseenherforhewasinamiserablestateofanxietyabouther；andmanyandmanyatimethroughthatlongnight，hescoldedherandhimself；