glorious light as found their way into that shadowy place, when one of the two gentlemen who had spoke

without having seen it; that is to say without having seen it again. I was here forty years ago, when

they?" the old man asked, as he unlocked a low door,

nd had no opportunity of handling any of the magnificence in the wa

his time, and Mr. Dunbar was lookin

the Ferns, then, si

is, I shall sleep in Winchester to-night, and drive over to-morrow morning to see he

of two m

looked at

," he said; "I told him to come on to me here.

servant, sir?" asked the ver

confidential servant. He is a clever fellow, and I make a c

to put a stop to the garrulou

went along: but presently, while the verger was busy unlocking the door of one of the chapels, Mr. Dunba

d him wiping the perspiration from his for

d me for any exertion. The walk in the broiling afternoon sun has knocked me up: or perhaps t

nd the laughter of the two men echo

er, going from monument to monument with the patient talkative old verger at his heels; asking questions about every thing he saw; trying to decipher half-obliterated inscriptions up

exhibiting his beloved cathedral to this delightful gentleman, just retur

Mr. Dunbar gave him half a sovereign as

It's very seldom as I get gold for my trouble, sir. I've shown this cathedra

nbar s

mightn't have been as rich a man

sighing plaintively. "It's well to be rich, sir, it is indeed; and when one have tw

opes of another half sovereign

near the low doorway by which he had ente

Benson's workmanship; and Mr. Dunbar's arms were emblazoned upon the back. There was a loc

the banker; "my servant oug

to anything Mr. Dunbar might say; "if he had only to go to

passing out into the quadrangle; "he's sure to come to this

ph Wilmot had not come back from the Ferns. The verger waited upon his patron's pleasure, and lingered in attendance up

e at eight, and that I expect him to dine with me. I think I have a right to a little more consideration fro

conscientiously. He waited till the cathedral clock struck nine, and the stars were bright in the

first floor; a bright array of glass and silver glittered under the light of five wax-c

dent vexation: "I shall not dine till Mr. Wilmot, who is my

gone f

shall wait dinner for him. Put a couple of candl

d cost forty pounds, and was provided with every possible convenience for a business man, and every elegant luxury that the most ex

s some little time doing this, as he had a difficulty in finding the right key. He lo

said, laughing, "or, at least, my enemies might say so, if

the numerous packets of papers, which were arranged in very m

e dinner, then, sir

. I'm not particularly hungry, for I took a very substantial l

one with the contents of the open despatch-box spread out on

me attitude, examining the papers one

e papers had been neatly arranged before, he re-sorted every one of them; tying up the packets

so completely absorbed by his occupation, that he, perhaps, had forgotten all about the missing man:

bout my friend," he said; "will y

as very quiet, a lamp glimmered here and there, and the pavements were white in the moonlight. The footste

came to wait

vice to you, sir?" h

o me, if you can find my friend; I

Cross, with the understanding that Wilmot was to go on to the Ferns, and rejoin his old master

e that he had not been leading a sober life of late years. He may have dropped into some roadside public-

ord shook

t I hope you won't wait

ll scarcely do justice to your cook's achievements, f

which Mr. Dunbar had selected from the wine-list. There was something in the banker's manner that decl

is dinner. He took a few spoonfuls of soup, he ate two o

, and walking to the window; "I am real

hot and still; the shadows of the queer old gabled roofs were sharply defined upon the moonlit pavement. The qu

after nine while Mr. Dunbar stood at th

him. "I shall not leave Winchester without this fellow Wilmot. It is really too bad of him to treat me in this ma

ged by his inferior. The landlord of the George murmured a few stereotyped phrases, expressive of hi

ter, my only child, whom I have not seen for sixteen years, is waiting for

landlord murmured; "it's very kind of you

f Joseph Wilmot as his inferior and dependant, the landlord of the George remem

Mr. Dunbar. The dishes upon the table were st

y dinner had never before be

" Mr. Dunbar exclaimed at last. "Can you send a messe

hall get a horse ready, and ride over there dire

ll do just as well. The lad has only to ask if any messenger from Mr. Dunbar has called at the Ferns; and if so, at what time he wa

st way to the Ferns is the pathway through the grove between here and St. Cros

e I parted from my servan

lonely at night; lonely enough in

e, there's a good fellow. Joseph Wilmot may be si

t away to do his

is common to the least nervous persons when they are kept waiting, kept in suspense by some unaccountable event. The absence of Joseph Wilmot became every moment more unac

hour, and at the end of that

claimed He

senger from you or any one else has

ord. He paused for a few moments, watching the man's face with a

hat something

derous watch-chain, and shrugged h

to say the least of it. B

as if scarcely knowing h

h soil before to-day. This man may have played me a trick, and gone off for some purpose of his own, though I don't know what purpose. He could ha

red somewhere or other until after dark, and then lost his way, and wandered into a mill-stream.

costs me, but I am determined this business shall be cleared up before I leave Winchester. Let e

s, and trampling, and hubbub in the hall below. The landlord opened the

the two men standing at the top of the stairs heard a hoarse murmur; which seemed all in one voice, though it was i

ome face grew of a bluish white, like snow in the moon

t, and ran down the stairs.

than five minutes, looking

nd - your servant - i

mean that

ing from Farmer Matfield's, five mile beyond St. Cross, stumble

he trees

ere you parted from t

God!

ound him; and there's been a doctor sent for, and a deal of fuss: but the doctor - Mr. Cricklewood, a very respectable gentlema

ot have been murdered! His death may have been

-knot was pulled tight at the back of his neck. Mr. Cricklewood the surgeon's in the hall below, if you'd like to see him; and he knows all about it. It seems, from what the two Irishmen say, that the body was dra

blank stare. He had not seemed to listen to the man's account of the crime that had been commi

agged down - to the water Wh

edge. There are always tramps and such-like about the country at this time of year; and some of them will commit almost any crime for the sake of a few pounds. I r

o the landlord's reminiscences. He interrup

What am I to do?" he said.

rrow. The inquest will be

e sure. There'll

r; of course there will,

w what steps ought to be taken in such a case as this. Should

. There'll be every effort made, depend upon it; but I'm really afr

y s

be far away from here by this time, and then what is there to trace him by - that's to say, unless

ar shook

ain," he said; "I only met him this morning. I ha

see the doctor, sir

old me all that there

s,

Is it a settled thing that this man who has been found mur

s' Arms, out of curiosity, as you may say, and he recognized the murdered man directly

him. It was a spacious and handsome chamber, the best room in

ut you, you'll find it awkward, sir," the landlor

ar's portmanteau, unlocked his dressing-case, and spread the gold-t

lass, staring thoughtfully at the reflection of his

breakfasting he despatched a telegraphic mess

nbar to William Balderby, and

as happened; and I am in great trouble and perplexity. Bring a lawyer with

ed man lay on a long table in a dark

nen sheet that shrouded it; but the door of the dread chamber wa

d out, in and out, all through the long morning; little groups clustered together in the bar, discoursing in solemn under-tones; and other gro

room, waiting for an answe