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10 "I want Mr. ITouston Mr. Alan Houston,' tsJd ho, "Ami who nro ye?' said tho voice. "This Is most extraordinary," thought John, nml then aloud ho told his natno. "No young Mr. Johnf cried thu voice, with ft sudden increase of Scotch accent, testifying to n friendlier feeling, "Tho very same," said John. Ami tho old Imtler removed his defences, remarking only, "I thooht yo wero that mnn.'' Hut his master was not there; ho was staying, it nppmrod, at tho house in Murray fleld, and though the butler would hnvo lioeii glad enough to liavo tnken Ids placo and given all the news of (ho family, John, struck with a littlo chill, was eager to bo gono. Only tho door was senreo closed again beforo ho regretful that ho had not asked about "that man." Ho was to pay uo moro visits till ho had ecou his father and mado all well at homo. Alan had been tho only possible, exception nnd John had not timo to go as far as Mur rayiield. lint hero ho was on Kcgent's ter race; there was nothing to prevent him going round tho end of the hill and looking from without on tho Mackenzie)' house. As ho went ho reflected that Flora must now lo a woman of near his own ago and it was with in tho IkiuiiiIs of possibility that sho wasinur rlod, but this dishonorublo doubt he dainuod down. There was the house, sure enough; but tho door was of another color, and what was this two door plates! Ho drew nearer; tho top ono Ijoto with dignified simplicity tho words, "Mr. l'roudfoot;" tho lower ono was more explicit and informed the passer by that horo was likowiso tho abodo of "Mr. J. A. Dunlop l'roudfoot, advocate." Tho Proudfoots must bo rich, for no advocato could look to havo much business in so remoto a quarter, nnd Jolin hated them for their wealth and for their natno and for tho snko of tho houso they desecrated with their presence. Ho re membered a l'roudfoot ho had seen nt school, not known; a little, whey faced urchin, tho despicable meml er of somo low cr class. Could it bo this abortion that had climbed to bo an advocato and now lived in the birthplace of Flora and tho homo of John's tenderest memories! Tho chill that had first seized upon him when ho heard of Houston's ab senco deepened nnd struck inwnrd. For a moment, as ho stood under tho doors of that estranged houso and looked east and west along tho solitary pavement of tho Iloyal ter race, where not a cat was stirring, tho senso f solitudo and desolation took him by tho throat and ho wished himself in Kan Fran cisco. And then tho figure ho mado, with his decent portliness, his whiskers, tho money in his purse, tho excellent cigar that ho now lighted, recurred to his mind in consolatory comparison with that of a certain maddened lad who, on a certain spring Sunday ten years before, and in tho hour of church timo silenco, had stolen from that city by tho Glasgow road. In tho faco of theso changes, it wero impious to doubt fortune's kindness. All would bo well yet; tho MackciHes would bo found, Flora, younger and hnolier and kinder than beforo; Alan would bo found, and would havo so nicely discriminated his lchavior as to havo grow n, on tho ono hand, into a valued friend of Mr. Nicholson's, and to havo remained, upon tho other, of that exact shade of joviality which John desired in his companions. And so, onco moro, John foil to work discounting tho delightful future; his first npicuranco in the family iew; his first visit to his unclo Greig, who thought himself so great a financier, and on whoso purblind Edinburgh eyes John was to let in tho dazzling daylight of thowo-t; and the details in general of that unrivaled transfor mation scene, in which ho was to display to nil Kdinburgh n jiortiy and successful gentle man in tho shoes of tho derided fugitive. Tho timo began to draw near when his father would have returned Iroiutho oillee, oml it would bo tho prodigal's cue to enter. Ho strolled westward by Albany street, facing tho sunset embers, pleased, ho knew not why, to movo in that cold air and indigo twilight, starred with street lamps, lint there was imo moro disenchantment waiting him by tho way. At tho corner of I'itfc street ho paused to light u . esh cigar; tho vesta threw, as ho did so, a strong light upon his features, and a man of about his own ago stopped at sight of it. "I think your name must bo Nicholson," said tho stranger. It was too lato to avoid recognition; and 1 sides, as John was now actually on Ids way home, it hardly mattered, and ho gave way to tho impulse of his nature. "Great Scott 1'' ho cried, ''Beatsonl" and fhook hands with warmth. It scurco seemed b" was repaid in kind, "So you're homo again?'' said Boatson. "Where havo you boon all this long timer'' "In tho states," saiil John "California. Pro mado mypilo though; nnd it suddenly (.truck mo it would be a noble scheme to come homo for Christmas," "I sou," said Boatson. "Well, I hojio we'll see something of you now you're here." "Oh, I guess so," said John, a littlo frozen. "Well, ta ta," concluded Boatson, nnd ho (hook hands again and ui i't. This was n cruel liiv-t exp'i-ienco. It was idlo to blink tacts; hero wus John homo again, and Beatson Old Beatson did not caroarush. Ho recalled Old Beatson in tho past that merry and nllectionato lad and their joint adventures und mishaps, the window tl'i'y had broken with a catapult in India place, tho escalado of tho castle rock, and many another inestimable bond of friend ship; and his hurt surprise grew deqier. Well, after all, it was only on a man's own family that ho could couut; blood was thicker than water, be remembered; and tho net re sult of thi i icountcr was to bring him to tho door of his father's house, with tenderer .v. i softer feelings. Tho nigla had coino; tho fanlight over the door shono bl ight; tho two windows of tho liming room where tho cloth was lieing laid, nnd tho threo windows of tho drawing room w hero Maria would bo waiting dinner, glow ed softlicr through yellow bliuds. It was liko a vision of tho past. All this timo of his nliscnce, lifo had gono forward with nn i 'iinl foot, and tho fires and tho gas had bwn lit,i' t'll. and the meals spread, at the c cus tomed hon i ' Uio accustomed hour, too, tho boll luiiis i ii is I thrico to call tho I mily to worship. ! at tho thought, a p. nig of regret for his .1 merit seized him; ho remem llod tho thing that wore good audi hut ho had neglected, and tho things that wero evil and that ho had loved; nnd it was with a prayer upon his lips that ho mounted tho toH and thrust tho koy into tho koy holo. Ho btepped Into tho lighted hall, bhut tho door softly behind him, and btood thero fixed m wonder. No surpriso of strangeness could equal tho surpriso of that complete fa miliarity. Thero was tho bust of Clialmors near tho stair railings, thero was tho clothes brush in the accustomed place; and (hero, on 1ho lint ,u... ., bung hats mid coats that must i oly bo tho samo as ho remembered. Ten i.-iw dropjxxl from his lifo, as a pin may iplietwceii tho fingers; and tho ocean and l 10 mountains, and tho mines, and crowded marts and mingled races of Kan Francisco, nnd his own fortuuo nnd his own disgrace, l.oonino, for that ono moment, Uio figures of a dream that was over. Ho took oil his hat, and moved mechani cally toward tho stand; and tlwro ho found a .umaU change that was a great ono to hliu. THE BUKLINGTOIV, Tho pin that hail been his from boyhood, where ho had flung hl.s balmornl when he loKernl homo from tho academy, and his first hat when he camo briskly back from college or (he ofllce his pin was occupied. "They might havo nt least respected my pin!'' he thought, and ho was moved as by a slight, and liegun nt onco to recollect that ho washeienn interloper, in a strango house, which he had out-red almost by n burglary, and where at any moment ho might bo seuii dalously challenged. lie moved at once, his hat still ill his hand, tn the door of his father's room, opened it and entered. Mr. Nicholson sat in tho saiuo place und jxisturu as on that last Sunday morning; only he was older, mid grayer, and sterner; and us ho now glanced up und caught thu eyo of his son, n strango commo tion and n dark flush sprung into his face. "Father," said John, steadily, and oven cheerfully, for this wus a moment against which he was long ago prepared, "father, here 1 mil, and here is tho money that I took from you. 1 havo eotuo back to ask your forgiveness and to stay Christmas with you and the children." "Keep your money," said tho father, "and BP "Father!'' cried John, "forGod's sake don't receive mo this way. I've come for'' "Understand me," interrupted Mr. Nichol son, "you uro no son of mine; and in tho sight of God I wash my hands of you. One last thing I will tell you; ono warning I will give you; all is discovered and you are lielng hunted for your crimes; if you are still nt large it is thanks to mo; but 1 havo dono all that I mean to do; and from this time forth I would notraiseono finger not omu finger to save you from tho gallows! Anil now," with a low voico of absolute authority und a single weighty gesture of the linger, "and now go I" CHAI'TFlt VI. THE tlOl'SK AT Mt'llItAYFIKl.l). How John passed (he evening, in what windy confusion of mind, in what squalls of anger and lulls of sick collapse, in what pacing of streets nnd plunging into public houses, it would profit little to relate. His misery, if it wero not progressive, yet tended in no way to diminish; lor in proportion us grief and indignation abated, fear began to take their place. At first his father's men acing words lay by in somo safe drawer of memory, biding their hour. At first John was all thwarted alFcctiou and blighted hojic; next bludgeoned vanity raised its head again, with twenty mortal gashes; and tho father was disowned even as ho hud disowned tho son. What was this regular course of lifo that John should havo admired itf What were theso clockwork virtues from which love was absent? Kindness was the test, kindness the aim and soul, and judged by such a standard, tho discarded prodigal now rapidly drowning his sorrows and his reason in successive drams was a creature of a lovelier morality than his self righteous father. Yes, he was tho better man; ho felt it, glowed with tho consciousness, and entering a public houso ut the corner of Howard placo (whither ho had somehow wandered) ho pledged his own virtues ilia glass perhaps the fourth since his dismissal. Of that he knew nothing, keeping uo account of what ho diil or whero ho went; and in tho general crashing hurry of his nerves, uncon scious of tho approach of intoxication. In deed, it is a question whether he were really growing intoxicated, or whether at first tho spirits did not even sober him. For it was even as he drained this last glass that his futhcr's ambiguous und menacing words popping from their hiding place in memory startled him like a hand laid upon his shoul der. "Crimes, hunted, the gallows." They wero ugly words; in tho ears of an innocent nun, jwrliaps all the uglier; for If some judi cial error were in actngainst him, whoshould set a limit to its grossness or to how far it might be pushed? Not John, indeed; he was no U'liever in tho powers of innocence, his cursed experience pointing in quite other ways; and his fears, unco wakened, grew with eery hour and hunted him about tho city shifts. It was ierhaps nearly 0 nt night; ho had eaten nothing sinco lunch, ho had drank a good deal and he was exhausted by emotion, when the thought of Houston came into Ins head, lie turned not merely to the man as a friend, but to hU housoas a place of refuge. The danger that threatened him was still so ,vue that he know neither what to fear nor w hero he might expeet ii , but this much nt least seemed undeniable. (' -ivato house was sater than a pub' Mo'-od by those counsels h tunas. .. to the Caledonia station, passed (not Without alarm) into the bright lights of the approach, redeemed his poitmaiiteau from tho cloak room and wus soon whirling in u cab along tho Glasgow road. Tho change of movement and position, tho sight of the lamps twinkling to tho rear and the rmell of damp and mold aud rotten straw which clung about tho vehiclo wrought in him strange alternations of lucidity and mortal giddiness. "I have iK-en drinking," ho discovered; "I must go straight to bed and sleep.'' And ho thanked heaven for tho drowsiness that came u'miu his mind in waves. From one of theso spells ho was wakened by the stoppagu of tho cab, and, getting down, found himself in quite n country road, the last lump of the suburb shining some way lwlow and tho high walls of u garden rising beloro him in tho dark. Tho Ijodge, as the place wus named, stood, indeed, very solitary. To the south it adjoined another house, but standing in so large a garden as to lw well out of cry; on all other sides ojien fields stretchi.il upward to tho woods of t'orstor pli.no lull, or backward to tho dells of Havel ston, or downward toward thovalliy of tho Ix'itli. The effect of seclusion was aided by the great height of the garden walls, which were, indeed, conventual, ami, as John had tested in lormcr days, defied tho climbing school lioy. Tho lamp of tho cab throw a gleam upon thu door and tho not brilliant handloi'f Ci'ib' 11. "Shall 1 r.ng for yof said the cabman, who had descended from his porch and was blappmg his chest, for tho night was bitter "I wih you would," said John, putting his hand to his brow in ono of hisuci- sses oi gid diness. Tho man pulled at tho handle, and tho clanking of tho bell replied from further in tho jvirdeii; twico und thrico ho did it, with siiillcKiit intervals; in tho great, trusty si lence of tho night tho bounds fell slurp uml small, "Docs he expect yo?" asked tho driver, with that manner of futnlliar interest that well bo. camo his port wins face; aud when John had told him no, "Well, then," said tl.i cabman, "if yo'll tnk' my udvico of it, we'll just gang back, And that's disinterested, mind ye, lor my stables uro in tho Glcsgio road." "Tho servants musthenr," said John, "Hunt P'siiid tho driver, "Hoki -hud ser vants here, man, Thoy'ro a' in Uio town houso; 1 drive him olten; it's just u kind of u hermitage, this." "Givo mo tho boll," Raid John; and ho plucked nt it liko a man doserot, Tho clamor had not yet subsided before they heard steps upon the gravel, aud a voice of singular nervous irritability cried to them through (ho door: "Who nro you, uud what ilo you wautr" "Alan," said John, "it's mo it'u Putty V f .. FREE PRESS, Vln VY. DECEMBER John, you know. I'm just como homo, and I've, come to stay with you." Tlicro was no reply for n moment, then tho door was opened. "Get tho portmanteau down,'' said John to tho driver. "l)o nothing of tho kind," said Allan; and then to John: "Como in hero a moment. I want to s-ionk to you." John entered tho garden, and tho door was closed behind him. A candlo stood on tho gravel walk.wl liking a littlo intho draughts; it threw inconstant sparkles on the clumped holly, struck the light and darkness to and fro iiko a veil ou Alan's features, and sent his bhadow hovering behind him. All beyond wus inscrutable; and John's diy brain rocked with tho shadow. Vet even so, it struck him that Alan was pale, and his voice, when ho spoke, unnatural. "What brings you hero to-nlglitf" ho be gan. "I don't want, God knows, to seem un friendly; but I enimot tako you in, Nichol son; I cannot do It." "Alan," said John, "you'vo just got to! You don't know tho mess I'm in; tho gover nor's turned mo out, and I daren't show my faco in an iun, beoauso thoy'ro down on mo for murder or something!" "For whntt" cried Alan, starting. "Murder, I believe," says John. ".Murder!'' repeated Alan, nnd passed his hand over his eyes. "What was that you wero saying?" he asked again. "That they were down on me," said John. "I'm accused of murder, by what I can mako out; and I'vo really had a dreadful day of it, Alan, nnd I can't sleep on the road side on a night liko this nt least, not with a iioitinan teau," ho pleaded. "Hush!'' said Alan, w ith his head on ono side; and then, "Did you hear nothingr" ho asked. "No,"' said John, thrilling, ho know not why, witli communicated terror. "No, I heard nothing; whyC And then, as tlicro was no answer, he reverted to his pleading: "But I say, Alan, you've got to take mo in. I'll go right away to bod if you havo anything to do. I seem tn havo been drinking; I was that knocked over. 1 wouldn't turn you away, Alan, if you were down on your luck." "Nor" returned Alan. "Neither will 1 you, then. Como and let's get your portman teau." Tho cabman was paid, and drove off down tho long, lamp lighted hill, nnd tho two friends stood on tho sidewalk beside tho port manteau till tho last rumble of tho wheels had died in silenco. It seemed to John us though Alan attuched importance to this departure of tho cub; and John, who was In uo stato to criticise, shared profoundly in tho feeling. When the stillness was onco moro perfect, Alan shouldered the portmanteau, carried it in, nnd shut uud locked tho garden door; and then, once mole, abstraction seemed to fall upon him, und ho stood with his hand on the key, until tho eo',1 began to nibble at John's lingers. "Why arc wo standing here;" asked John. "Khl" said Ahm, blankly. "Why, man, you don't seem yourself," said tho other. "No, I'm not myself," saiil Alan ; and ho sat down on tho portmanteau and put hi i faco in his hands. John stood hcoido him swaying a little, and looking about him nt tho swaying shadows, tho flitting stuklcs, and tho steady stars overhead, until the windless cold began to touch him through his clothes on tho bare skin. Even in his bemused intelligence, wonder liegnli to awake. "I say, let's como ou to tho house," ho said at last. "Yes, let's como on to tho house," repeated Alan. And ho row nt onco, rcshouMorod tho port mautoau, and taking tho candle in h.- other hand, moved forward to the lodge. This was u long, low building, smothered in crce-x-i-s; nnd now, except for homo chinks of light be tween tho dining room shutters, it was plunged in darkiiuA and silence. In tho hall Alan lighted another candle, gavo it to John, airi opened tho door of a bedroom. "Here," said he; "go to lied. Don't mind me, John. You'll be sorry lor u-.e when you know." "Wait a bit," returned John; "I'vo got so cold with all that standing about. Let's go into tho dining room a minute. Just one glass to warm ine, Alan." On tho table ia tho hall stood a class, and a bottle with a whisky lab'l on n tray. It was plain tho bottle had been just opened, for tho cork and corkscrew lay lior.ido it- "Tako that," said Alan, passing John tho whisky, and then with u certain roughness pushed hi3 friend into tho bedroom and closed the door behind him. John stood amazl; thea ho r.hook tho bot tlo, nnd, to his further wonder, found it partly empty. Threo or four glasan wore gono. Alan must havo uncorked a bottla of whisky and dra::'.: three or four glasses ono after tho other, without sitting down, for thero was uo chair, and that in his own cold lobby on this freezing nightl It fully ex plained his eccentricities, John reflected bagely, as ho mixed himself a grog. Poor Alan! Ilo wa3 drunk ; and what a dreadful tiling was drink, and what a slavo to it poor Alan was, to drink in this unsociable, un comfortablo febkioul Tho man who would drink alone, oxcept for health's sako as John was now doing was ,i man utterly lost. Ho took tho grog out, aud felt hazier, but warmer. It was hard work opening the portmanteau and finding his night things; and before ho was undressed tho cold had struck homo to him onco moro. "Well," baid he, "just a drop more. There's no senso in getting III with all this other trouble." And presently dreamless slumber buried him. When Johu awoko it was day. Tho low winter sun wus already in tho heavens, but his watch had btopped, and it was impossible to tell tho hour exactly. Ten, ho guessed it, and mado hosto to dress, dismal rellections cruwding on his mind. But it was less from terror than from regret that ho now sull'cred; aud with his regret thero wero mingled cutting pangs of penitence. There had fallen upon him a blow, cruel, indeed, but yet only tho punishment of old misdoing; and ho had rebelled and plunged into fresh bin. Tho rod had been used to chasten, and ho had bit tho chastening fingers. His futher was right, John had justill d him; John was no guest for decent eople's houses, and no fit associate for decent jusiplo's children. And had u broader hint Urn needed, thero was tho caso of his old iriend. John wus no drunkard, though ho could nt times exceed; and tho picture of Houston drinking neat spirits ut tils hall table struck him with something liko disgust. Ho hung back from meeting his old friend. Hu could havo wished ho had not como to him; and yet, uven now, nhero else was ho to turn Those musings occupied him whilo ho dressed, uud accompanied 1dm into tho lobby of tho houso. Tho door stood open on tho garden; doubtless, Alan had btepjxxl forth; and John did as ho supposed his friend hail done, Tho ground was hard ns iron, tho frost still rigorous; us ho brushed among tho hollies, icicles jingled and glittered in their fall; and wherever ho went, a volley of eager sparrows followed him. Hero wero Christ mas weather and Christmas morning duly met, to tho delight ot children, This was tho day of reunited families, tho day to which ho had so long looked forward, think ing to uwuko in his own bed in Ilaudolph Jrcscent, reconciled with all men und re peating tho footprints of his youth; nnd hero ho was alono, pacing tho alleys of a wintry garden nnd filled with penitential thoughts. And that reminded him: why was ho nloner and whero was Alatii The (bought of (he fi-vlnl morning and the duo salutations reawakened his desire for his friend, ami ho began to call for hira by natno. As tlio sound of his voico died nw.ay, ho was nwaro of tho greatness of tho silenco that environed him. But for tho twittering ot tho sparrows and tho crunching of his own feet upon tho frozen snow, tho wholo windless world of air hung over him entranced, and tho still noss weighed upon his mind with a horror of solitude. Still calling at intervals, but now with a moderated voico, ho mado the hasty circuit of tho garden, and finding neither man nor traco of man in nil its evergreen coverts, turned ut last to tho house. About tho house tho silenco seemed to deciien strangely. Tho door, indeed, stood 0en as lieforo; but tho windows were still shuttered, tho chimneys breathed no stain into the bright nir, thero sounded abioad nonoof that low stir (perhaps audlblo rather to tho car of tho spirit than to tho ear of tho flesh) by which a houso an nounces nnd betrays its human lodgers. And jet Alan must bo there Afuu locked in drunken slumbers, forgetful of the return of tho day, of tho holy season, and ot tho friend whom ho had so coldly received and was now so churlishly neglecting. John's disgust re doubled at tho thought; but hunger was be ginning to grow stronger than repulsion, and as a step to breakfast, if nothing else, ho must find und arouse his sleeper. Ho mado tho circuit of tho bedroom quar ters. All, until ho enmo to Alan's ehamlier, wero locked from without, and boro tho marks of a prolonged disuse. But Alan's was a room in commission, filled with clothes, knick-knacks, letters, books, and tho conven iences of u solitary mull. Tho fire had been lighted; but it had long ago burned out, and the ashes wero stono cold. The lied had been made, but it had not been slept in. Worso and worse, then; Alan must have fallen whero ho sat, and now sprawled brut ishly, no doubt, upon tho dining room floor. The dining room was a very long apart ment, nnd was reached through a passage, so that John, upon his entrance, brought but little light with him, and must movo toward tho windows with spread arms, groping and knocking on the furniture. Suddenly ho tripjieil und Tell his length over a prostrate body. It was what ho had looked for, yet it shocked him, and ho marveled that so rough nil impact should not havo kicked n groan out of tho drunkard. Men had killed them selves ero now in such excesses, a dreary nnd degraded end that mado John shudder. What if Alan wero dead There would bo a Christ mas day ! By this John had his hand upon tho shut tors, nnd, flinging them back, beheld onco ngain tho blessed face of tho day. F.vcn by that light tho room had a disoomfortablo air. Tho chairs wore scattered and ono had been overthrown; tho table cloth, laid os if for dinner, was twitched upon ono sido, and somo of tho dishes had fallen to tho floor. Behind tho table lay (ho drunkard, still un aroused, only ono loot visible to John. But now that light was in tho room tho worst seemed over; it was a disgusting busi ness, but not moro lhau disgusting; and it was with no great apprehension that John proceeded to mako tho circuit of the table hi.? last comparatively tranquil moment for that day. No sooner hod ho turned the corner, no sooner had his oyes alighted on tho body, than ho gavo a smothered, breathless cry, anil fled out of tho room and out of the house. It was not Alan who lay thero, but a man well tip in years, of stem countenance nnd iron gray looks; and it was no drunkard, for the body la) in a black pool of blood, and the open eyes stared upon the ceiling. To and fro walked John Ixtforo tho door. Tho extremo sharpness of tho air acted on his nerves liko an astringent and braced them swiftly. Presently, ho not relaxing in his disordered walk, tho images began to come clearer and stay longer in his fancy; and next tho jniwcr cf thought camo back to him, and tho horror nnd danger of his situation rooted him to tho ground. Ho grasped his forehead, and staring on ono spot of gravel, pieced together what ho know and what ho suspected. Alan had murdered some one; possibly "that man" against whom the butler chained tho door in itegent's Terrace; possibly another; somo ono at lea.,t; a human soul, whom it was death to r.lay and whoso blood lay spilled upon tho fioor. Thii wc3 the. reason of tho whisky drinking in tho passage, of his unwillingness o welcome John, of his strango liehaviorand li-mildcn-d words; this was why ho had start ed at nnd harped upon tho natno of murder; this was why ho hail stood and hoarkenod, or sat and covered his eyes, in tho black night. And now bo was gone, now ho had basely fled ; and to nil his perplexities aud dangers John rtood heir. "Let mo think let mo think," ho said, aloud, impatiently, ovon pleadingly, as if to Konv- lncvc'.lrr,! interrupter. In the turmoil of his wits u thousand hints and hopes and thi cats and terrors dinning continuously in his ear;, ho was liko ono plunged in the hub bub of a crowd. How wa3 ho to remember ho who had not a thought to span' that he was himself tho author, as well as the thea tre, of so much confusion? But in the hours of trial the junto of man's nature is dissolved nnd anarchy succeeds. It was plain ho must stay no longer whero ho w as, for hero was a now judicial error in tho very making. It was not bo plain where ho must go, for tho old judlciul error, vaguo as a cloud, appeared to fill tho habitable world; whatever it might bo, it watched for him, full grown, in Kdinburgh; it must haw had its birth in Sun Francisco; it stood guard, no doubt, liko a dragon, at tho bank where ho should cash Ids credit; und though there wero doubtless many other places, who should say in which of them it was not am bushed? No, ho could not tell whero ho was to go; ho must not loso timo on these insolu bilities. Ix;t him go back to tho beginning. It was plain ho mast btay no longer where ho was. It was plain, too, that ho must not tleo as ho was, for ho could not carry his port manteau, nnd to lleo and loavo it was to plungo doeer in tho mire. lie must go, leave tho houso unguarded, find a cab mid return return after an abseucoi Had ho courago for that? And just then ho spied a stain about n hand's breadth on his trouser leg, and reached his finger down to touch it. Tho fin ger was stained red; it was blood; ho stared upon it with disgust, and awo, und terror, aud in tho sharpnoss of tho now sensation fell instantly to act. Ho cleansed his finger in tho snow, returned into tho house, drew near with hushed foot step to the dining room door, aud shut and locked it. Thou ho breathed a littlu freer, for hero at least was au oaken luiri ier be tween himself nnd what ho feared. Next, ho hastened to his room, tore oir tho spotted trousers which seemed in his eyes a hi.k to bind him to tho gallows, (lung them in n corner, donned another pair, br. . hlessly crammed his night things into his .irtnnan teau, lock it, swung it with an ell it from tlio ground, and with a rush of relief, came 1'irth again under tho open heavens. The portmanteau, Iwing of occidental build, was nu feather weight, it had digressed the powerful Alan, and as for John. 1" was crushed under its bulk, nnd the swiat brtkc upou lmu thickly, Twice hu must set it 16S7. TWELVE PAGES. down to rest beforo ho reached tho gate; nnd w hen ho had como so far, ho must do as Alan did, and tako his seat upon ono corner. Hero, then, ho sat uwhilo and panted; but now his thoughts wero sensibly lightened; now, with tho trunk standing just Insldo tho door, somo part of Ids dissociation from tho houso of crimo hud lieoii ofTectod, und thu cabman need not pass tho garden wall. Itwas wonder ful how that relieved him; for tho houso, in hl.s eyes, was a placo to strike tho most cursory Itcholder with suspicion, ns though tho very windows had cried murder. But there wns to Iki no remission of the strokes of fate. As ho thus sat, taking breath in tho shadow of tho wall ai, I l.opped about by sparrows, it chanced that 1 i o roved lo the fastening of the door; and w hat ho saw plucked him to his feet. Tho thing locked with a spring; onco tho door was closed, tho bolt shot of itself; and without a key, there was no means of entering from without. Ho saw himself obliged to ono of two dis tasteful and perilous alternatives: either to shut tho door altogether aud set his portman teau out upon tho wuysido, a wonder to all behoJdei-s; or to leave tho door ajar, so that an) thievish tramp or holiday school boy might stray in and stumble on tho grisly se cret. To the last, as tho least desperate, his mind inclined; but ho must insure himself that ho was unobserved. Ho peered out, and down tho long road; it lay deeply empty. He went to tho corner of the by load that comes by way of Dean; there also not a pas senger was stirring. Plainly it was, now or never, tho high tide of his afTaii-s; und ho drew (he door as closo ns ho durst, slipped a jiebblo in tho chink, and mado off downhill to find a cab. Half way down n gate opened, nnd a troop ot Christmas children sallied forth in tho most cheerful humor, followed moro solierly by u smiling mother. "And this is Christmas day!" thought John ; and could havo laughed uloud in trugio bitterness of heart CHAI'TF.lt VII. A THAGI-COMKDY I.V A CAB. In front of Donaldson's hospital, Joint counted it good fortuuo to iwreeivo a cab a great way off, and by much shouting nnd waving of his arm to catch tho notice of tho driver. Ho counted it good fortune, for tho timo was long to him till ho should havo dono forever with tho lodge; and tho further ho must go to find n cab, tho greater tho chauco that tho inevitable discovery had taken placo, and that he should return to find tho garden full o angry neighbors. Yet when tho vehicle drew up ho was sensibly chagrined to recognize th" port wino cabman of tho night before. "Hero," ho could not but refloct, "hero is another link in tho Judicial Krror." Tho driver, ou tho other hand, was pleased to drop again upon so liberal a fare; ns ho was a man tho reader must already havo perceived of easy, not to say familiar, man ners, ho dropped nt onco into a vein of friendly talk, commenting ou the weather, on the sacred season, which strut ic him chiefly in tho light of a day of liberal gratuities, on tho chaiico which had reunited him to a pleasing customer, and on tho fact that John had been (as he was pleased to call it: visibly "on tho randan'' tho night lict'ore. "And yo look dreidful bad tho day, sir, I must say that," ho continued. "There's nothing liko a dram for yo if yo'll tako my udvico of it; and bcin' ns it's Christmas, I'm no saying," ho added, with a fatherly smilo, "but what I would join yo mysel'." John had listened with a sick heart. "I'll givo you a dram when wo'vo s,ot through," said he, affecting a sprightliuess which sat on him most unhandsomely, "and not u drop till then. Business first, and pleasure afterward." With thisproiniso the jarvey was prevailed upon to clamlwr to his placo and drive, with hideous deliberation, to tho door of tho lodgo. There wero no signs as yet of any public pmotion; only, two men stood not far oft in lull:, and their presence, seen from afar, set John's pulsus buzzing. Ho might have spared himself his fright, for tho pair were lost in somo dispute ot a theological complexion, and with lengthened upper lip and enumerating fingers, pursued tho matter of their differ ence, and paid no heed to John. But tho cabman proved a thorn in t!o Besh Nothing would keep him on his perch ; 30 nui't clamber down, comment upon tho ,-iebblo in the door (which ho regarded as an ingenious but unsafe device), help John with tho portmanteau, and enliven matters with a low of siiccoh, and especially of questions, which I thus condense: "He'll no bo hero hliiisel', will ho? No? Well, bo's an eccentric mim a fair oddity if e ken tho expression. Great troublo with his tenants, they tell me. I'vo driven tho fam'ly f i -nrs. I drovo a cab at his father's waddin. Vhat'U ;-our namo bo? I bhould ken your faco. Baigrey, yo say? Thero wero Baigrcys about Gilmerton; ye'll bo ono cf that lot? Then this'llboa friend's portinauti, liko? AVhyr Because tho namo uon it's Nucholsoii! Oh, if ye'ro in a hurry that's another job. Wu verley Brig'r Are yo for awayf So tho friendly toper prated and questioned and kept John's heart in a flutter. But to this ulso, as to otherevils under tho sun, there camo a period, und tho victim ot circum stances began at last to rumble toward tho railway terminus at Wuvorluy Bridge. Dur ing tho transit ho sat with raised glasses in tho frosty chill uud moldy fetor of hl.s chariot, nnd glanced out sidelong on tho holiday faco of things, the shuttered shops and tho crowds along the pj.ctie ,it, much us tho rider in tho Tyburn cart may have observed tho con course gathering to his execution. At the station his spirits rose again; an other stage of his escapo was fortunately ended hu began to spy bluo water. Ho called a railway porter, aud badu him carry tho portmanteau (o tho cloak room: not that ho had any notion of delay; flight, instant flight wns his design, no matter whither; but ho had determined to dismiss tho cabman ero ho named, or even ho chose, his destination, thus possibly balking tho Judicial Hrror of an other link. This w as his cimningaiui, and uow with ono foot on tho roadway, and ono still on tho coach stop, ho had mado hasto to put tho thing in practice, and plunged his hand into his trousers pocket. There was nothing there! Oh, yes; this timo ho was to blame. Ho should bin o remembered, nnd w hen ho de serted his blood stained )i.in(;ilooiLs, ho should not havo deserted alon - with them his purse. Mako tho iv st m i. error, und then compare it with tl punishment! Oou ceivohis now position, (or I kick words to picture it; conceive him condemned to re turn to that house, from tho cry thought of which his soul revolted, and onco more to expose himself to capture ou tho very sccno of tlio iuisdisd; conceive him linked to tho moldy cab and tho fi. udiar cabman. John cursed the ciibinuii silently, and then it oc curred to him that ho must stop tho incar ceration of his portmanteau; that, nt lea&t, ho must keep clom nt hand, uud ho turned to recall tho tarter. But his rellections, brief as (hey had nppeurod, must havo occu pied him longer than ho suppo-isl, and thero was tho man ulnidy returning with tho re ceipt. Well, t lint was settled; he had lost his port manteau nlso; lor (ho sixience with wluch ho had paid the Murruytleld ti .11 was ono that had strayed almio into lis waistcoat ocket, and unless ho once more ta sesitully acliioved fie adventure of the hone nf crime In- port inan'enu lay in tho cloak roi"ii in (erniil pawn, lor lack of n ienny fee. And ti, n he remembered (ho porter, who sfiod - tj ; -v tlvilv attentive, words ot grutittul I initu ou his Hps. J"Vni lumtrd right nud left: lie f i tid a cum proved God thn( it wns n si, 1 1 , n drew it out. Wield n hull' penny, and if Ted It to the porter. The man's jaw dropped. "It's only a half k miy !" he snid, .turtled out of railway decency. "I know that,'" said' John, pitiii.ly And here the iiorter reco voted tlx I nity of man. "Thank you, sir," sn.d he, and won' 1 have returned the base gratuity; but Join, too, would none of It, and as they struggled who must join m but tho cabmanr "Hoots, ilr. Baigrey," said he, "you surely forget what day it is!" "I tell 3,011 I havo 110 change," cried John. "Well," said the driver, "and what (hen? I would rather give n man 11 sl.illln' on a day like this than put him off with a dorisi m hko a bawbee. I'm surprised nt the like if you, -Mr. Baigrey!" "My name is not Baigrey!"' broke ou' John, in mere childl'h (empcrand distress. "Yo told 1110 it was yoursel'," said h cab man. "1 know I did; and what the devd right had you to ask?" cried the unhappy on "Oh, very well," said (he di hi r. ' I know my placo if you know yours- if you know yours 1" ho repented, as one who should imply grave doubt; and muttere 1 ini.i tirulato thun ders, in which the grand old name of gimtle niuii wns taken seemingly in vain. Oh, to havo lccn able to di-chnrg) this monster, whom John now puceived, with tardy clear sightedness, to have begun be times tho festivities of Christmas: But far from any such ray of consolation wsituig tho lost, ho stood bare of help anil helpers, his portmanteau sequestered 111 one plu. , hie money deserted in another and guarded by a corpse; himself, so sedulous of pnvn v tho cynosure of all men's eyes about the st 1 111 , and, as it theso were not enough 11, ,s Ii.'-i.-es, h" wns now fallen in ill blood with thu Ixvist to n l.oni his poverty had hnk'sl him' In ill blood, as he reflected ib- ii.illv. with the wit tie", who perhaps mi-ht hang or s.iv . him! I'herowas no time to lie lost, he ilurs' not linger nny longer in that public spn-.nlid whether ho had recourse to dignity or ' j con ciliation, the remedy must beapph"d at nice. Somo happily surviving element of manli xxl moved linn to tho former. "liOt us have 110 more of this." -nil ii hia foot once moro upon 1 tie step. "Go hi. k. to whero we came from." Ho had avoided the name of any 1 -na tion, for there was now quite u little ban 1 of raibvay folk about the cab. aud ho still l.opt an eye upon tho court of justice, and lx n.r ,1 tonvoid concentric evidence. But h-1 - j u. the fatal jarvey outmaneuvered him "Back to tho Ludger" cried he, m ahn. tones of protest. "Drive on at once!" roared Joh.i an.' slammed tho door behind him, so that tho crazy chariot rocked at', jingled. Forth truudled the cab into the Christmas streets, tho faro within plunged in th. black ness of a despair that neighbored jti un consciousness, the driver 011 tho box dig' ting; his rebuke and his customer's ditpli iff y 1 w ould not bo thought to put tho pair in compe tition; John's caso wai out of all parallel. But tho cabman, too, U worth tho sympathj of tho judicious; for ho was a fellow ot gen uino kindliness and a high sense of pryinal dignity incensed by dri"k: and his ad nice had been cruelly and publicly rebuff" 1 lie drove, therefore, ho counted his wrings, and thirsted tor sympathy and drink Now, it chuiiccd ho had u friend, a pubh m, in (ii.s-iisferry street, from whom, in i.w r.f 1 in- s.uTcdness of the occasion, he th.n . '. t he might extract a drum. Oiieensferr s'reei lies something off tho direct road to M rray iield. But then thero is tho hilly cross road that passes by the valley of the Iiih i.. 1 thi Dean cemetery: and Qtiecnsferry street is on the way to that. "What was to Inn I r the cabman, since hK horse was dumb from choosing the cro-s road, and ca'lin 111 hi? friend in passing? So it was d. elded ant. the charioteer, already somewhat in ..litieu, tin ned aside his horse to the right John, meanwhile, sat collapsed, li . 11 sunk upon his breast. Ins mind in ab .' .. Thu smell of tho cab was stiil fain: i to his senses, anil a certain le.iden 1 his (cot; all el-o had diisipjunnsl i.i oppression of calamity and physi'.-l : t ncss. It was drawing on to noon 'v.. twenty hours sinco to had broken i.je I the Interval ho had suffered tortut r row and alarm mul lusm partly tips-. j..i' though it was impossible to say hi sle.it, yet when the cab stopped aud the cabman ' ur .st his head into tho window his attint 1 m nai to bo recalled from depths of vucancj "If you'll no' stand men dram.'sai.l the driver, with a well merited severity t torn und manner, "I dare say ye'll have no bji. -tion to my taking one mysel' r" "Yes no do what ou like,-' returned John; nnd then, as ho watched his tormentor mount the stairs and entor tho whisky shop, there floated into his mind a sennas u some thing long ago familiar. At that ho started tally uwuko, aud stared at the shop fronts. Yes, ho know them; but when' and how? bong sinco, ho thought; and then, ii-stin Ins eyo through tho trout glass, w I h had lieon recently occluded by the figure f tin jarvey, ho beheld the free topsof the ' okcry in Ilaudolph Cre-sis'iit. He w.is close t,i home home, where ho had thought, nt ta ! hour to lx; sitting in tho well reinemU'ied drawing room in friendly converse; and, uist" 1 1 ' Itwas his llrst impulse to drop . it thi bottom of tho cab; hi nuxt, to cover !n.s t.iri with his hands. So lie sat, while the uituan busted the public. 111, and tho publican Io.isUhI l abmau, and Unit reviewed tin ,1 ! 1 1 s i f the nation; so he still sat, win :i t : n . tir condescended to return, and dm" i ll' at hvt down hill, along the curve of I loch place; but even so sitting, o he p.t - d the end of Ins father's slnvt, ho took oik glance from lietwcen sh,. ! t"i ; li-i ;ei, and 1 'Ida doi tor's carnage at ti'. do "Well, just so,'' thoii,l,t he: "1 i havo killed my futherl And this is t'lnistnias dayl" If Mr. Nicholxiu died, it was down this same road ho must, journey to the grav, nnd down this road, on the miuo errand, his wifo had preceded him years, lief ore; and many other leading citizens, willi the pri'!T tiii pings and utlcnilanis) of the end. A id now, in tlint fri'-t, ill smelling, straw cirpctcil and rugged cushioned e.ib, with his breath congealing n.i the glasses, where . ! . was Jo. 1 lum.si if advancing tiv T '.' t iiou l.t t.'.u rod his o,ua;iuut;o.', w '.ii h l'i;an to iiuiii'ilai lure many tliou.-a:. 1 put mi'.-, bright and fUvting, like the shapes in a kaleidoscope mid now hosiw himself, ruddy and comfortcred, sliding in tho guli.'i . and, aguiu, a littlo woo begone. Ik .red urchin tricked forth in crajio uud weciTs. descend ing this samo hill at tho foot's pneoof mourn ing coaches, his mother's body just preceding him; and jet again, his fain-v, running far in front, showed him his dcttinutiou - now standing Military in the low .sunshine, with (lie sparrows hopping on tl.u threshold and tho dead man within st.u ingjt the js f and uow.witha sudden .'nn . , thioiii, .about with whito fa.vd, 'mud uplitting lit hboi-s, uud doctor hur-.tiiie throuu their mi l .t und fixing his stethoscope as hu went, tho police