Saturday

fold ?

“ Thank you," said young Wardlaw, mechanically, | Wardlaw junior. He took it up with a sort of and fell into a brown study.

shiver, and bent his head very low over it; then The room now returned to what seemed its nat- handed it back in silence. ural state. And its silence continued until it was | Adams took it to Wardlaw senior, and laid it bebroken from without.

fore him, by the side of Arthur's Testamur. A sharp knocking was heard at the street-door, The merchant inspected it with his glasses. and resounded across the marble hall.

“ The writing is mine, apparently." The Wardlaws looked at one another in some “I am very glad of it,” said the bill-broker, ealittle surprise.

gerly. : “ I have invited nobody,” said the elder.

« 'Stop a bit,” said Mr. Wardlaw. “Why, what is Some time elapsed, and then a footman made his this? For two thousand pounds! and, as you say, appearance, and brought in a card.

not my form. I have signed no note for two thou** Mr. Christopher Adams."

sand pounds this week. Dated yesterday. You Now that Mr. Christopher Adams should call on have not cashed it, I hope ?” John Wardlaw, in his private room, at nine o'clock “I am sorry to say my partner has.” in the evening, seemed to that merchant irregular, “Well, sir, not to keep you in suspense, the thing presumptuous, and monstrous. “Tell him he will is not worth the stamp it is written on.” find me at my place of business to-morrow, as usual," "Mr. Wardlaw !- Sir! - Good heavens! Then said he, knitting his brows.

it is as I feared. It is a forgery.” The footman went off with this message ; and, “I should be puzzled to find any other name for soon after, raised voices were heard in the hall, and it. You need not look so pale, Arthur. We can't the episcopal butler entered the room with an in- help some clever scoundrel imitating our hands ; jured countenance.

and as for you, Adams, you ought to have been more “ He says he must see you ; he is in great anxiety.” | cautious.”

“ Yes, I am in great anxiety," said a quavering “But, sir, your cashier's name is Penfold,” falvoice at his elbow, and Mr. Adams actually pushed tered the holder, clinging to a straw. “May he not by the butler, and stood, hat in hand, in those sa- have drawn - is the indorsement forged as well ? " cred precincts. “Pray excuse me, sir," said he, Mr. Wardlaw examined the back of the bill, and " but it is very serious ; I can't be easy in my mind looked puzzled. "No," said he. “My cashier's till I have put you a question."

name is Michael Penfold, but this is indorsed • Rob“This is very extraordinary conduct, sir," said ert Penfold. Do you hear, Arthur? Why, what Mr. Wardlaw. " Do you think I do business here, is the matter with you? You look like a ghost. I and at all hours ?”

say there is your tutor's name at the back of this "O no, sir: it is my own business. I am come forged note. This is very strange. Just look, and to ask you a very serious question. I could n't wait tell me who wrote these two words • Robert Pentill morning with such a doubt on my mind." .

Well, sir, I repeat this is irregular and extraor- Young Wardlaw took the document, and tried to dinary; but as you are here, pray what is the mat- examine it calmly, but it shook visibly in his hand, ter?" He then dismissed the lingering butler with and a cold moisture gathered on his brow. His pale a look. Mr. Adams cast uneasy glances on young eyes roved to and fro in a very remarkable way; and Wardlaw.

he was so long before he said anything, that both “ 0,” said the elder, “ you can speak before the other persons present began to eye him with him. This is my partner; that is to say, he will be wonder. " as soon as the balance sheet can be prepared, and At last he faltered out, “ This · Robert Penfold' the deed drawn. Wardlaw junior, this is Mr. Ad seems to me very like his own handwriting. But ams, a very respectable bill discounter."

then the rest of the writing is equally like yours, sir. The two men bowed to each other, and Arthur I am sure Robert Penfold never did anything wrong. Wardlaw sat down motionless.

Mr. Adams, please oblige me. Let this go no fur“Sir, did you draw a note of hand to-day?" in ther till I have seen him, and asked him whether he quired Adams of the elder merchant.

indorsed it.” "I dare say I did. Did you discount one signed "Now don't you be in a hurry," said the elder by me?”

Wardlaw. “The first question is, who received the “Yes, sir, we did.”

money!” 6 Well, sir, you have only to present it at matu- Mr. Adams replied that it was a respectable lookrity. Wardlaw and Son will provide for it, I dare ing man, a young clergyman. say." This with the lofty nonchalance of a rich “Ah !” said Wardlaw, with a world of meaning. man, who had never broken an engagement in his “ Father !” said young Wardlaw, imploringly,

“ for my sake, say no more to-night. Robert Pen“Ah, that I know they will if it is all right; but fold is incapable of a dishonest act.” suppose it is not ?"

“It becomes your years to think so, young man. * What d'ye mean?” asked Wardlaw, with some But I have lived long enough to see what crimes astonishment

respectable men are betrayed into in the hour of “O, nothing, sir! It bears your signature, that temptation. And, now I think of it, this Robert is good for twenty times the amount; and it is in- Penfold is in want of money. Did he not ask me dorsed by your cashier. Only what makes me a lit- for a loan of two thousand pounds ? Was not that tle uneasy, your bills used to be always on your own the very sum? Can't you answer me? Why, the forms, and so I told my partner; he discounted it. application came through you." Gentlemen, I wish you would just look at it.” | Receiving no reply from his son, but a sort of ago

“Of course we will look at it. Show it Arthur nized stare, he took out his pencil and wrote down first; bis eyes are younger than mine."

Robert Penfold's address. This he handed the billMr. Adams took out a large bill-book, extracted broker, and gave him some advice in a whisper, the note of hand, and passed it across the table to which Mr. Christopher Adams received with a pro

fusion of thanks, and bustled away, leaving Ward- | hundred; the odd thousand, — but that is a secret law senior excited and indignant, Wardlaw junior, for the present." ghastly pale, and almost stupefied.

1 40, I am not inquisitive: I never was." Scarcely a word was spoken for some minutes, and | They then chatted about things of no importance then the younger man broke out suddenly : “ Rob whatever, and the old gentleman was just lighting ert Penfold is the best friend I ever had; I should his candle to go to bed, when a visitor was ushered have been expelled, but for him, and I should never into the room. have earned that Testamur but for him."

The Penfolds looked a little surprised, but not The old merchant interrupted him. “You exag- much. They had no street door all to themselves; gerate: but, to tell the truth, I am sorry now I did no liveried dragons to interpose between them and not lend him the money you asked for. For, mark unseasonable or unwelcome visitors. my words, in a moment of temptation, that mis- The man was well dressed, with one exception; erable young man has forged my name, and will be wore a gold chain. He had a booked nose, and be convicted of the felony, and punished accord- a black, piercing eye. He stood at the door, and ingly."

observed every person and thing in the room mi* No, no: 0, God forbid !” shrieked young Ward- nutely, before he spoke a word. law. "I could n't bear it. If he did, he must have Then be said, quietly, “ Mr. Michael Penfold, I intended to replace it. I must see him ; I will see believe." him directly." He got up all in a hurry, and was * At your service, sir." going to Penfold to warn him, and get him out of * And Mr. Robert Penfold." the way till the money should be replaced. But his *1 am Robert Penfold. What is your business? father started up at the same moment and forbade i Pray is the • Robert Penfold' at the back of him, in accents that he had never yet been able to this note your writing?" resist.

" Certainly it is; they would not cash it without “Sit down, sir, this instant," said the old man, I that." with terrible sternness. Sit down, I say, or you * 0, you got the money, then ?” will never be a partner of mine. Justice must take * Of course I did." its course. What business and what right have we * You have not parted with it, have you ?” to protect a felon? I would not take your part if "No." you were one. Indeed it is too late now, for the "All the better." He then turned to Michael, detectives will be with him before you could reach and looked at him earnestly a moment. * The fact him. I gave Adams his address."

is, sir,” said he, "there is a little irregularity about At this last piece of information Wardlaw junior this bill, which must be explained, or your son leaned his head on the table, and groaned aloud, and might be called on to refund the cash." a cold perspiration gathered in beads upon his white * Irregularity about – a bill ?” cried Michael forehead.

Penfold, in dismay. " Who is the drawer ? Let

me see it. 0, dear me, something wrong about a CHAPTER II.

bill indorsed by yon, Robert?" and the old man

began to shake piteously. That same evening sat over their tea, in Nor- « Why, father," said Robert, "what are you folk Street, Strand, another couple, who were also afraid of ? If the bill is irregular, I can but return father and son ; but, in this pair, the Wardlaws were the money. It is in the house." reversed. Michael Penfold was a reverend, gentle - The best way will be for Mr. Robert Penfold to creature, with white hair, blue eyes, and great timid- go at once with me to the bill-broker; he lives but ity; why, if a stranger put to him a question, be a few doors off. And you, sir, must stay here, and used to look all round the room before he ventured | be responsible for the funds, till we return." to answer

Robert Penfold took his hat directly, and went Robert, his son, was a young man, with a large off with this mysterious visitor. brown eye, a mellow voice, square shoulders, and a They had not gone many steps, when Robert's prompt and vigorous manner. Cricketer. Scholar, companion stopped, and, getting in front of him, Parson,

said, “ We can settle this matter here." At the They were talking hopefully together over a liv- same time a policeman crossed the way, and joined ing Robert was going to buy, it was near Oxford, them; and another man, who was in fact a policehe said, and would not prevent his continuing to man in plain clothes, emerged from a door-way, and take pupils. “ But, father," said be, “it will be a stood at Robert Penfold's back. place to take my wife to if I ever have one; and, The Detective, having thus surrounded him, meantime, I hope you will run down now and then, threw off disguise. "My man," said he, “ I ought Saturday to Monday"

to have done this job in your bouse. But I looked " That I will, Robert. Ah! how proud she would at the worthy old gentleman, and his gray hairs. I have been to hear you preach ; it was always her thought I'd spare him all I could. I have a wardream, poor thing."'

rant to arrest you for forgery!” "Let us think she can hear me," said Robert. "Forgery! arrest me for forgery!” said Robert “ And I have got you still ; the proceeds of this Penfold, with some amazement, but little emotion ; living will help me to lodge you more comfort- for he hardly seemed to take it in, in all its horrible ably."

significance. "You are very good Robert; I would rather see The next moment, however, he turned pale, and you spend it upon yourself; but, dear me, what a almost staggered under the blow. manager you must be to dress so beautifully as you “ We had better go to Mr. Wardlaw," said he. do, and send your old father presents as you do," I entreat you to go to him with me." and yet put by fourteen hundred pounds to buy “Can't be done," said the Detective. “Wardthis living."

law has nothing to do with it. The bill is stopped. “ You are mistaken, sir, I have only saved four | You are arrested by the gent that cashed it. Here

Saturday

is the warrant; will you go quietly with us, or must! Baffled here, young Wardlaw went down to OxI put the darbies on?"

ford and shut himself up in his own room, a prey to Robert was violently agitated. “There is no fear and remorse. He sported his oak, and never need to arrest me," he cried; “I shall not run from went out. All his exercise was that of a wild beast my accuser. Hands off, I sayI'm a clergyman in its den, walking restlessly up and down. of the Church of England, and you shall not lay But all his caution did not prevent the prisoner's hands on me.”

solicitor from getting to him. One morning, at But one of the policemen did lay hands on him. seven o'clock, a clerk slipped in at the heels of his Then the Reverend Robert Penfold shook him furi scout, and, coming to young Wardlaw's bedside, ously off, and, with one active bound, sprang into awoke him out of an uneasy slumber by serving him the middle of the road.

with a subpæna to appear as Robert Penfold's witThe officers went at him incautiously, and the ness. head-detective, as he rushed forward, received a This last stroke finished him. His bodily health heavy blow on the neck and jaw, that sounded gave way under his mental distress. Gastric fever along the street, and sent him rolling in the mud ; set in, and he was lying tossing and raving in delirthis was followed by a quick succession of stagger- ium, while Robert Penfold was being tried at the ing facers, administered right and left, on the eyes Central Criminal Court. and noses of the subordinates. These, however, The trial occupied six hours, and could easily be though bruised and bleeding, succeeded at last in made rather interesting. But, for various reasons, grappling their man, and all came to the ground to- with which it would not be good taste to trouble the gether, and there struggled furiously ; every win-reader, we decide to skim it. dow in the street was open by this time, and at one. The indictment contained two counts; one for the white hair and reverend face of Michael Pen- forging the note of hand, the other for uttering it, fold looked out on this desperate and upseemly knowing it to be forged. struggle, with hands that beat the air in helpless On the first count, the Crown was weak, and had agony, and inarticulate cries of terror.

to encounter the evidence of Undercliff, the distinThe Detective got up and sat upon Robert Pen guished Expert, who swore that the band which fold's chest; and at last the three forced the band wrote - Robert Penfold” was not, in his opinion, cuffs upon him, and took him in a cab to the sta- the hand that had written the body of the instrution-house.

ment. He gave many minute reasons, in support of Next day, before the magistrate, Wardlaw senior this: and nothing of any weight was advanced conproved the note was a forgery, and Mr. Adams's tra. The judge directed the jury to acquit the partner swore to the prisoner as the person who had prisoner on that count. presented and indorsed the note. The officers at- But, on the charge of uttering, the evidence was tended, two with black eyes a-piece, and one with clear, and on the question of knowledge, it was, his jaw bound up, and two sound teeth in his pocket, perhaps, a disadvantage to the prisoner that he was which had been driven from their sockets by the tried in England, and could not be heard in person, prisoner in his desperate attempt to escape. Their as he could have been in a foreign court; above evidence hurt the prisoner, and the magistrate re- all, his resistance to the officers eked out the prefused bail.

sumption that he knew the note had been forged The Reverend Robert Penfold was committed to by some person or other, who was probably his acprison, to be tried at the Central Criminal Court on complice. a charge of felony.

The absence of his witness, Wardlaw junior, was Wardlaw senior returned home, and told Ward- severely commented on by his counsel ; indeed, he law junior, who said not a word. He soon received appealed to the judge to commit the said Wardlaw a letter from Robert Penfold, which agitated him for contempt of court. But Wardlaw senior was greatly, and he promised to go to the prison and see recalled, and swore that he had left his son in a him.

burning fever, not expected to live : and declared, But he never went.

with genuine emotion, that nothing but a high sense He was very miserable, a prey to an inward of public duty had brought him bither from his dystruggle. He dared not offend his father on the ing son's bedside. He also told the court that Areve of being made partner. Yet his heart bled for thur's inability to clear his friend had really been Robert Penfold.

the first cause of his illness, from which he was not He did what might perhaps have been expected expected to recover. from that pale eye and receding chin, — he tem- The jury consulted together a long time; and, at porized. He said to himself, " Before that horrible last, brought in a verdict of “GUILTY"; but rectrial comes on, I shall be the house of Wardlaw, ommended him to mercy, on grounds which might and able to draw a check for thousands. I'll buy fairly have been alleged in favor of his innocence; off Adams at any price, and hush up the whole but, if guilty, rather aggravated his crime. matter."

Then an officer of the court inquired, in a sort of So he hoped, and hoped. But 'the accountant chant or recitativo, whether the prisoner had anywas slow, the public prosecutor unusually quick, thing to say why judgment should not be given in and, to young Wardlaw's agony, the partnership | accordance with the verdict. deed was not ready when an imploring letter was It is easy to divest words of their meaning by put into his hands, urging him, by all that men hold false intonation; and prisoners in general receive sacred, to attend at the court as the prisoner's wit- this bit of singsong in dead silence. For why ? ness.

the chant conveys no idea to their ears, and they This letter almost drove young Wardlaw mad. would as soon think of replying to the notes of a He went to Adams, and entreated him not to carry cuckoo. the matter into court. But Adams was inexorable. But the Reverend Robert Penfold was in a keen He had got his money, but would be revenged for agony that sharpened all his senses ; he caught the the fright.

sense of the words in spite of the speaker, and clung

wildly to the straw that monotonous machine held

CHAPTER III. out. “My Lord ! my Lord !” he cried, “I'll tell you the real reason why young Wardlaw is not MR. WARDLAW went down to his son, and nursed here."

him. He kept the newspapers from him, and on The judge put up his hand with a gesture that his fever abating, had him conveyed by easy stages enforced silence: “Prisoner," said he, “I cannot to the seaside, and then sent him abroad. go back to facts; the jury have dealt with them. The young man obeyed in gloomy silence. He Judgment can be arrested only on grounds of law. never asked after Robert Penfold, now; never menOn these you can be heard. But if you have none tioned his name. He seemed, somehow, thankful to offer, you must be silent, and submit to your sen- to be controlled mind and body. tence.” He then, without a pause, proceeded to But, before he had been abroad a month, he point out the heinous character of the offence, but wrote for leave to return home and to throw himadmitted there was one mitigating circumstance; self into business. There was, for once, a nervous and, in conclusion, he condemned the culprit to five impatience in his letters, and his father, who pitied years penal servitude.

him deeply, and was more than ever inclined to At this the poor wretch uttered a cry of anguish reward and indulge bim, yielded readily enough; that was fearful, and clutched the dock, convul- and, on his arrival, signed the partnership deed, sively.

and, Polonius-like, gave him much good counsel; Now a prisoner rarely speaks to a judge without then retired to his country seat. revolting him by bad law, or bad logic, or hot At first he used to run up every three days, and words. But this wild cry was innocent of all these, examine the day-book and ledger, and advise his and went straight from the heart in the dock to the junior ; but these visits soon became fewer, and at heart on the judgment-seat. And so his lordship's last he did little more than correspond occasionally. voice trembled for a moment, and then became firm Arthur Wardlaw held the reins, and easily paid again, but solemn and humane. “But,” said he, “my his Oxford debts out of the assets of the firm. Not experience tells me this is your first crime, and may being happy in his mind he threw himself into compossibly be your last. I shall therefore use my influ- merce with feverish zeal, and very soon extended ence that you may not be associated with more hard- the operations of the house. ened criminals, but may be sent out of this country | One of his first acts of authority was to send for to another, where you may begin life afresh, and in Michael Penfold into his room. Now poor old the course of years, efface this dreadful stain. Give | Michael, ever since his son's misfortune, as he called me hopes of you; begin your repentance where now it, had crept to his desk like a culprit, expecting you stand, by blaming yourself, and no other man. every day to be discbarged. When he received No man constrained you to utter a forged note, and this summons he gave a sigh and went slowly to the to receive the money ; it was found in your posses- young merchant sion. For such an act there can be no defence in Arthur Wardlaw looked up at his entrance, then law, morality, or religion.”

looked down again, and said coldly," Mr. Penfold, These words overpowered the culprit. He burst you have been a faithful servant to us many years; out crying with great violence.

I raise your salary £50 a year, and you will keep the But it did not last long. He became strangely ledger.” composed all of a sudden; and said, “ God forgive The old man was dumbfoundered at first, and all concerned in this — but one — but one."

then began to give vent to bis surprise and gratiHe then bowed respectfully, and like a gentleman, tude; but Wardlaw cut him short, almost fiercely. to the judge and the jury, and walked out of the “There, there, there," said he, without raising his dock with the air of a man who had parted with eyes, “ let me hear no more about it, and, above all, emotion, and would march to the gallows now with never speak to me of that cursed business. It was out flinching.

no fault of yours, nor mine neither. There — go The counsel for the Crown required that the I want no thanks. Do you hear? leave me, Mr. forged document should be impounded.

Penfold, if you please.” "I was about to make the same demand," said The old man bowed low and retired, wondering the prisoner's counsel.

much at his employer's goodness, and a little at his The judge snubbed them both, and said it was a irritability. matter of course.

Wardlaw junior's whole soul was given to busiRobert Penfold spent a year in separate confine-ness night and day, and he soon became known for ment, and then, to cure him of its salutary effect a very ambitious and rising merchant. But, by and (if any), was sent on board the hulk “ Vengeance," by, ambition had to encounter a rival in bis heart. and was herded with the greatest miscreants in He fell in love ; deeply in love; and with a worthy creation. They did not reduce him to their level, object. but they injured his mind : and, before half bis sen- The young lady was the daughter of a distintence had expired, he sailed for a penal colony, a guished officer, whose merits were universally recman with a hot coal in his bosom, a creature embit-ognized, but not rewarded in proportion. Wardtered, poisoned; hoping little, believing little, fear-law's suit was favorably received by the father, and ing little, and hating much.

the daughter gradually yielded to an attachment, He took with him the prayer-book his mother had the warmth, sincerity, and singleness of which were given him when he was ordained deacon. But be manifest; and the pair would have been married, seldom read beyond the fly-leaf; there the poor lady but for the circumstance that her father (partly had written at large her mother's heart, and her through Wardlaw's influence by the by) had obpious soul aspiring heavenwards for her darling son. tained a lucrative post abroad which it suited his This, when all seemed darkest, he would sometimes means to accept, at all events for a time. He was run to with moist eyes : for he was sure of his moth- a widower, and his daughter could not let him go er's love, but almost doubted the justice of his alone.

This temporary separation, if it postponed a mar

Saturday

riage, led naturally to a solemn engagement; and looking round, saw a young lady on the gravel path, Arthur Wardlaw enjoyed the happiness of writing whose calm but bright face, coming so suddenly, and receiving affectionate letters by every foreign literally dazzled him. She had a clear cheek post. Love, worthily bestowed, shed its balm upon blooming with exercise, rich, brown hair, smooth, his heart, and, under its soft but powerful charm, glossy, and abundant, and a very light hazel eye, he grew tranquil and complacent, and his character of singular beauty and serenity. She glided along, and temper seemed to improve. Such virtue is tranquil as a goddess, smote him with beauty and there in a pure attachment.

perfume, and left him staring after her receding figMeanwhile the extent of his operations alarmed ure, which was, in its way, as captivating as her old Penfold ; but he soon reasoned that worthy face. down with overpowering conclusions and superior She was walking up and down for exercise, brisksmiles.

ly, but without effort. Once she passed within a few He had been three years the ruling spirit of yards of him, and he touched his hat to her. She Wardlaw and Son, when some curious events took inclined her head gently, but her eyes did not rest place in another hemisphere; and in these events, an instant on her gardener; and so she passed and which we are now to relate, Arthur Wardlaw was repassed, unconsciously sawing this solitary heart more nearly interested than may appear at first with soft but penetrating thrills. sight.

At last she went indoors to luncheon, and the

lawn seemed to miss the light music of her rustling Robert Penfold, in due course, applied to Lieu-dress, and the sunsbine of her presence, and there tenant-General Rolleston for a ticket of leave. That was a painful void; but that passed, and a certain functionary thought the application premature, the sense of happiness stole over James Seaton, - an crime being so grave. He complained that the sys- unreasonable joy, that often runs before folly and tem bad become too lax, and for his part he seldom trouble. gave a ticket of leave until some suitable occupa- The young lady was Helen Rolleston, just retion was provided for the applicant. “Will any- turned home from a visit. She walked in the garbody take you as a clerk ? If so, - I'll see about den every day, and Seaton watched her, and peeped it.”

at her, unseen, behind trees and bushes. He fed his Robert Penfold could find nobody to take him eyes and his heart upon her, and, by degrees, she into a post of confidence all at once, and wrote the became the sun of his solitary existence. It was General an eloquent letter, begging hard to be madness; but its first effect was not unwholesome. allowed to labor with his hands.

The daily study of this creature, who, though by no Fortunately, General Rolleston's gardener had means the angel he took her for, was at all events a just turned him off; so he offered the post to his pure and virtuous woman, soothed his sore heart, and eloquent correspondent, remarking that he did not counteracted the demoralizing influences of his late much mind employing a ticket of leave man him- companions. Every day he drank deeper of an self, though he was resolved to protect his neigh insane, but purifying and elevating passion. bors from their relapses.

He avoided the kitchen still more; and that, by The convict then came to General Rolleston, and the by, was unlucky; for there he could have learned begged leave to enter on his duties under the name something about Miss Helen Rolleston, that would of James Seaton. At that General Rolleston hem'd have warned him to keep at the other end of the and haw'd, and took a note. But his final decision garden, whenever that charming face and form glided was as follows : “ If you really mean to change to and fro amongst the minor flowers. your character, why the name you bave disgraced | A beautiful face fires our imagination, and we might hang round your neck. Well, I'll give you see higber virtue and intelligence in it, than we can every chance. But," said this old warrior, suddenly detect in its owner's head or heart when we descend compressing his resolute lips just a little, “ if you to calm inspection. James Seaton gazed on Miss go a yard off the straight path now, look for no Rolleston day after day, at so respectful a distance, mercy,--Jemmy Seaton."

that she became his goddess. If a day passed withSo the convict was re-christened at the tail of a out his seeing her, he was dejected. When she was threat, and let loose among the warrior's tulips. I behind her time, he was restless, anxious, and his

His appearance was changed as effectually as his work distasteful ; and then, when she came out at name. Even before he was Šeatoned he had grown last, he thrilled all over, and the lawn, ay, the world a silky mustache and beard of singular length and itself, seemed to fill with sunshine. His adoration, beauty; and what with these, and his working timid by its own nature, was doubly so by reason of man's clothes, and his cheeks and neck tanned by his fallen and hopeless condition. He cut nosegays the sun, our readers would never have recognized for her; but gave them to her maid Wilson for her. in this hale, bearded laborer the pale prisoner that He had not the courage to offer them to herself. had trembled, raged, wept, and submitted in the One evening, as he went home, a man addressed dock of the Central Criminal Court.

him familiarly, but in a low voice. Seaton looked Our Universities cure men of doing things by at bim attentively, and recognized bim at last. It halves, be the things mental or muscular; so Seaton was a convict called Butt, who had come over in the gardened much more zealously than his plebeian ship with him. The man offered him a glass of predecessor : up at five, and did not leave till eight. ale; Seaton declined it. Butt, a very clever rogue,

But he was unpopular in the kitchen, - because seemed hurt: so then Seaton assented reluctantly. he was always out of it: taciturn and bitter, he Butt took him to a public-house in a narrow street, shunned his fellow-servants.

| and into a private room. Seaton started as soon as Yet working among the flowers did him good; he entered, for there sat two repulsive ruffians, and, these his pretty companions and nurselings had no by a look that passed rapidly between them and Butt, vices.

he saw plainly they were waiting for him. He felt One day, as he was rolling the grass upon the nervous; the place was so uncouth and dark, the lawn, he heard a soft rustle at some distance, and | faces so villanous.