how could he hāve lulled himself into the unsuspicious calm in whichher tearful image had mirrored itself not two hours before, till he hadweakly pitied her and yearned towards her, and forgotten the sāvage,distrustful jealousy with which the sight of her--and that unknown tohim--at such an hour--in such a place--had inspired him! how couldone so pure hāve stooped from her decorous and noble manner ofbearing! but was it decorous--was it? he hated himself for the idea thatforced itself upon him, just for an instant--no more--and yet, while itwas present, thrilled him with its old potency of attraction towards herimage. and then this falsehood--how terrible must be some dread ofshame to be revealed--for, after all, the provocation given by such aman as leonards was, when excited by drinking, might, in allprobability, be more than enough to justify any one who came forwardto state the circumstances openly and without reserve! how creepingand deadly that fear which could bow down the truthful margaret tofalsehood! he could almost pity her. what would be the end of it? shecould not hāve considered all she was entering upon; if there was aninquest and the young man came forward. suddenly he started up.

there should be no inquest. he would sāve margaret. he would takethe responsibility of preventing the inquest, the issue of which, from theuncertainty of the medical testimony (which he had vaguely heard the

night before, from the surgeon in attendance), could be but doubtful; thedoctors had discovered an internal disease far advanced, and sure toprove fatal; they had stated that death might hāve been accelerated bythe fall, or by the subsequent drinking and exposure to cold. if he hadbut known how margaret would hāve bee involved in the affair--ifhe had but foreseen that she would hāve stained her whiteness by afalsehood, he could hāve sāved her by a word; for the question, ofinquest or no inquest, had hung trembling in the balance only the nightbefore. miss hale might love another--was indifferent andcontemptuous to him--but he would yet do her faithful acts of service ofwhich she should never know. he might despise her, but the womanwhom he had once loved should be kept from shame; and shame itwould be to pledge herself to a lie in a public court, or otherwise tostand and acknowledge her reason for desiring darkness rather thanlight.

very gray and stern did mr. thornton look, as he passed out through hiswondering clerks. he was away about half an hour; and scarcely lessstern did he look when he returned, although his errand had beensuccessful.

he wrote two lines on a slip of paper, put it in an envelope, and sealed itup. this he gāve to one of the clerks, saying:-\"

i appointed watson--he who was a packer in the warehouse, and whowent into the police--to call on me at four o\"clock. i hāve just met with agentleman from liverpool who wishes to see me before he leāves town.

take care to give this note to watson he calls.\"

the note contained these words:

\"there will be no inquest. medical evidence not sufficient to justify it.

take no further steps. i hāve not seen the corner; but i will take theresponsibility.\"

\"well,\" thought watson, \"it relieves me from an awkward job. none ofmy witnesses seemed certain of anything except the young woman. shewas clear and distinct enough; the porter at the rail-road had seen ascuffle; or when he found it was likely to bring him in as a witness, thenit might not hāve been a scuffle, only a little larking, and leonardsmight hāve jumped off the platform himself;--he would not stick firm toanything. and jennings, the grocer\"s shopman,--well, he was not quiteso bad, but i doubt if i could hāve got him up to an oath after he heardthat miss hale flatly denied it. it would hāve been a troublesome joband no satisfaction. and now i must go and tell them they won\"t bewanted.\"

。。^t-。

0 0