from this peril. And first the watch-a de- "You are the proprietor, I believe, Mr. scription of which I shall, as the prisoner's Aldous," said the prisoner's counsel," of an attorney, take care to advertise by-and-by-extensive pawnbroking establishment in Lonhave you it with you?" don ?" "Yes! here it is; but what is it you propose doing?" "Well, sir," replied the witness, "I cannot say mine is an extensive establishment, but it is, I am bold to say, a respectable one, and situate not in London proper, but in the Blackfriars Road, Southwark." "That, dear Judith, I must be excused for not disclosing. Success depends upon close secrecy. I will, however, see Harpur as his professional adviser, without delay, and as- "No matter: you have been within the sure him-for his continued silence is para- last few days in communication with respect mountly essential-that an acquittal is cer- to an advertised gold watch, with the attortain, but not of the means of procuring it-ney for the prisoner, Mr. Penson ?" stone walls having ears, as they say, and indiscretion being as fatal as treachery?" "No evil will fall upon any innocent person?" asked the young woman. "No permanent evil-of that be assured," replied Penson. This was about all that passed between the confederates, and a few minutes afterwards Judith Morton took leave, and was soon on her way home. Harpur's trial came on during the March Assize, at Appleby, and as the case had excited much interest in the county, the Crown Court was densely crowded. The witnesses for the prosecution were not asked a single question by the counsel instructed by Penson for the defence till it came to the turn of the last and only important one, James Blundell. The cross examination of this man was from the first a menacing one, and the hush of the excited auditory deepened into painful intensity as it became evident from the stern questioning of the counsel, that the defence intended to be set up was, that the deceased had met his death at the hand of the witness, not of the prisoner It was elicited from Blundell, though with much difficulty, that he was in embarrassed circumstances, considerably in debt to the deceased, with whom he had in consequence, had words more than once, and that he knew Robert Masters had been heard to say he would sell him (Blundell) up before long. The witness was greatly agitated by this exposure of his affairs, and so fiercely was he pressed by the zealous counsel for nearly an hour of merciless cross-examination, that he could scarcely stand when told to leave the witness-box. "I have." "Do you produce the watch in question?" "I do; here it is. It was pawned with me," added the scrupulous witness, refreshing his memory by a glance at the duplicate, "on the 18th of February last, for £10, and the address given, No. 8, Lambeth Walk, is, I have since ascertained, a fictitious one." "Will the brother of the deceased who has already been sworn," said the examining barrister," have the kindness to look at this watch?" Mr. James Masters did so, and identified it as belonging to his brother, and worn by him at the time of his death. "Should you be able, Mr. Aldous," continued counsel, 46 to recognize the person who pawned the watch ?" "I should have no difficulty in doing so," said the pretended Aldous, although it was just between the lights when the man, a middle-aged, stoutish person came to my shop as he not only had a peculiar cast in his eyes, but that once or twice, when a handkerchief which he held to his face, I suppose in consequence of toothache, slipped aside, I noticed a large, bright red stain, either from scrofnla or a natural mark across his lower jaw." As this audaciously-accurate description of Blundell left the witness's lips, every eye in court was turned upon the astounded individual; the javelin men drew back with instinctive aversion from in front of him, and he, as if impelled by a sympathetic horror of himself, shrieked out, "That's ine! he means me! oh God!" "That is the man," promptly broke in the pawnbroker, "I should know him amongst a million." This was too much for Blundell; he strove to gasp out a fierce denial, but strong emotion choked his utterance, and he fell down in a fit, from which he did not entirely recover for some hours, then to find himself in close custody upon suspicion of being the assassin of Robert Masters. "I have to request, my lord," said the prisoner's counsel, "that the last witness be not permitted to leave the court-for the present at least." The judge nodded assent, and a couple of javelin-men placed themselves by the side of the nervous and terrified Blundell, The case for the Crown having closed, and no speech in those days being allowed to be made by a reputed felon's counsel, witnesses for the The proceedings in court need not be further defence were at once called. "Call Thomas detailed; the prosecution had, of course, irreAldous," said Richard Penson, to the crier of trievably broken down, and there was nothing the court, and presently Thomas Aldous, a for it but to formally acquit the prisoner, who middle aged, gold-spectacled gentleman, of was at once discharged, and the crowded highly-respectable aspect, presented himself court was immediately cleared of the excited in the witness-box. auditory, numerous groups of whom remained for long afterwards in the streets, eagerly A LEAF FROM THE PARISH REGISTER. canvassing the strange issue of the trial. As over many months, and kept me poring, day after day, over the musty pages of the old vestry-room. Abraham Stedman, the clerk, whom we all know very well in Chorleykept me company the whole time; and in one of my mid-day pauses, when we were sharing some bread and cheese, and beer over the vestry fire, he told me the following passage in his life: I have lived in the parish, said he, going on now for seventy years. When I think of past times, my present friends in the place seem strangers to me. Our old acquaintances die off one by one, and new ones come into their places so gradnally, that we scarcely miss them; but one day we look round, and find that the world has passed into strange hands. Richard Penson left the court a scrap of I HAD once a long search to make among the paper was slipped into his hand, upon which register-books of Chorley Parish. It extended was scrawled in pencil, and in a disguised hand, "Thanks a thousand thanks-but no harm must come to poor B. You shall hear from me in a few days at Liverpool. J.' As soon as Blundell could collect his scattered thoughts and advise with a lawyer, there was found to be no difficulty in establishing an alibi, that on the day of the pretended pawning he was in his own home at Bedstone, and he was conditionally liberated. Inquiries were next set on foot respecting Mr. Aldous, and as no such person could be found, the nature of the conspiracy by which justice had been defeated gradually disclosed itself. An effort was also made to arrest Penson, the prisoner's attorney, but as he had previously disappeared from Liverpool, and it was reported sailed for America with Judith Morton, the pursuit was abandoned. This information was completely erroneous; Judith Morton had indeed embarked for America, but it was with her husband, Charles Harpur, to whom she had been privately married three weeks previous to the death of Robert Masters, the wedding having been intendedly kept secret for a time, partly on account of the recent death of the bride's father, who, by the bye, died in poor circumstances, and partly because of some family reason of Harpur's. This intelligence reached Penson at Liverpool, in a letter dated London, about a week subsequent to the trial, containing many apologies, another £50 note, and signed "Judith Harpur !" I will not detain the reader with any description of the wretched, vagabond life led by Penson, from the moment of his departure from Liverpool till I met him in Holborn-till his death, in fact, for he was utterly irreclaimable-which was not long delayed, and took place in the infirmary of a city workhouse. He, at all events, though not reached by the arm of the law, paid the full penalty of his offence. Whether the same might be said of Judith Morton, I know not, Penson never having heard either of her or Harpur, since they left England for the States. [At this point Abraham Stedman paused and looked at the vestry fire for a few moments; I was silent, waiting for him to proceed.] The story I am going to tell you is wonderful enough, though there are no ghosts in it. I do not believe in ghosts. If any man ought to have seen ghosts, I ought; for, I may say, without any offence to my kind friends of today, that all my truest and oldest friends are gone to the ghost-land; and I am sure they would pay me a visit if they could. Besides, I never feared to walk about an old house in the dark at midnight, or to go at that silent time through the churchyard where most of my friends lie, or even into the church if I had occasion. On Christmas Eve-I cannot say exactly how many years ago it is now, but it was not very long after I was made clerk-the rector (that was poor Mr. Godby) told me he was in a little perplexity about the sexton's being ill, seeing there would be no one to ring the bells. Now I always made a point of sitting up with the sexton on that night, and taking a hand at the bells; for I could ring them pretty well, and it seemed only to me a little kindness, proper to the season, to offer to keep him company in such a lonely place. He was a much older man than I was, and I knew he was glad of my society. We used to have a little fire up in the bellry, and make toast and posset an hour or two after midnight. But this time the sexton was ill, and I promised the rector at once that I would ring the bells; and so it was agreed that I should. I used to offer my company to the old man because I knew that he was timid and a little superstitious; but, for myself, I did not mind at all going there alone. At exactly half-past eleven, on that Christmas Eve, I took all the church keys, and started from my house to fulfil my promise. It was very dark that night, and windy, and several of our old lamps had either dropped out for want of oil, or been blown out by the gusts. 1 could not see any one in the street; but, as I left my door, I fancied that I heard footsteps a little way behind me. I should not have noticed it then, if it had not been that on several nights previously I had fancied that some person had secretly followed me, as I went about the town. I came up to a little band of carol singers soon after, and stood listening to them a minute or two, When I bade them good night and a merry Christmas, I had forgotten about the footsteps. It was striking the three quarters as I passed over the stile into the churchyard; and just after that I caught a sound like footsteps again. I looked back, and waited a while; but I could hear nothing more. I was ashamed to walk back a little way, for I began to think that I was becoming a coward, and conjuring up things out of my fear. It was true I had fancied this before that night; but it had never troubled me till then, and so I did not doubt it was some superstitious feeling about my task that was at the bottom of it. "What object could any one have in following a poor man like me, night after night?" I asked myself. So I went on through the pathway between the grave-stones, humming an old ditty. Now, though I had resolved to banish all thought of the supposed footsteps from my mind, I could not help just turning half round as I stood with the great key in the lock, and looking about in the direction I had come. I own, I was frightened then, for, at about thirty yards distance, I saw distinctly, as I believed, the dark head of a man peeping at me over the top of one of the tomb-stones. I stood in the shadow of the church porch, so that it would be difficult for any one at that distance to observe I was looking that way. The tomb-stone was some way from the gravel path, and out of the line of any one passing through the churchyard, and indeed, as you know, no one would have occasion to pass through the churchyard unless he were going to the church, like myself. I hesitated for a moment, and then walked briskly towards it; but the head seemed to withdraw itself immediately and disappear. What was more strange, I walked round the very stone, and could see no one near; nor could I hear any movement. A little further was another tomb stone somewhat higher and with a carved top, and I tried to persuade myself that it was this top coming close behind the other stone which had deceived me. But this could not be; for stand how I would in the church porch, I could not bring the second tombstone exactly in a line with the first, to my eye, I felt a little uneasy at this strange fancy; but it would not do to go back, for it was near twelve, and I had promised the rector to be in the belfry, ready to ring out a peal on the stroke of mid-night. So I opened the door quickly, closed it behind me, and walked feeling my way down the aisle. I was quite in the dark, for my lanthorn was in the vestry-room, and I kept a tinderbox and matches there to light it. I had to grope about for the key-hole of the heavy iron-plated door, and again to fumble among my bunch of keys to find the right one. am not a man of weak nerve; but a strange sensation came over me, as I stood there in the dark, feeling through all the bunch for the key. The air of the church was close, and had a faint smell of mouldering leather, such as you smell in some libraries, I believe it made me feel faint; for, just then, I had so strong a tingling in the ears, that I seemed to hear the bells already beginning to peal forth in the belfry. I listened and fancied I heard distinctly that confused jingle which precedes a full peal. The fancy terrified me for the moment, for I knew that I had seen the sexton ill in bed that day, and that even he could not be there, unless he had got the key from me. But when this notion had passed, I set it down for another invention of mine, and began to think the tomb-stone affair no more worthy of belief than this. So I turned the great key with both my hands; and, opening the inner fire-proof door, I let myself into the vestry-room. When I was once in there, I knew where to find my lanthorn and tinder-box in a moment. I always kept them on the second shelf from the ground, in the closet just behind where the plan of the parish estate at East Haydocke hangs up framed and glazed. But the pew opener kept her dusters and brushes there also, and we used to have words about her throwing my things out of order sometimes. This time I found that she had scattered my matches, and I had to stoop down and feel about for them among all the things at the bottom of the closet, which took some time. When I found them, I struck a light and blew the tinder with my breath. I saw the sexton do exactly the same thing one night as I stood in the dark, right at the end of the aisle, and his face reflected the fire at every puff and looked quite devilish as it shone out strongly and faded away again. I mention this because I have thought of it since, and I believe it had something to do with what befel me that night. I lighted my candle, and shut it up in my lanthorn. It gave a very weak light and the sides of the lanthorn were of thick, yellow horn, very dusty ard dirty with lying in the closet; for I rarely had oceasion to go into the church after dark. Swinging this lanthorn, then, in one hand, and holding some faggots under the other arm to light my fire with, I went up the steps again into the dark side aisle. Just at that moment, and as I was shutting the to be the marriage registers-the old and the new one-containing all the marriages that had taken place at old Chorley church for seventy years back. I heard one ask the other if there was no index; for they did not understand our way of indexing, which was merely to write down all the letters of the al vestry-room door, I suddenly felt a heavy hand laid on my arm. I started, and cried "Whose there?" letting my lanthorn fall, so that the light went out. Nobody answered, but some one immediately held me from behind, trying to keep back my arms with extraordinary strength. I was not a weak man then, although I am short; but I strug-phabet, with the numbers of the pages at gled long to get round and face my enemy, and just as I was getting a little more free, another one came to his assistance. I called aloud for help; but they stuffed my month with something, and swore it I called they would shoot me through the head. Upon this they bound my arms tightly, and led me back into the vestry-room, where I sat on a chair, while they lighted the candle they had with them. which names beginning with each letter could be found-taking the first letter from the bridegroom's name, of course. So they had a long search, each of them turning over the leaves of one book, and examining it page by page. I watched their faces, and tried to bear in mind at what part of the book they were, in case they should stop. The one who had the old book came to a place, at last, which seemed to contain what he was looking for. He showed it to his companion, and they conferred together, for a moment, in a whisper. Immediately after, the older one tore out I thought some half dozen leaves. He was going to burn them in the flame of the candle at first; but his companion stayed him, and he tore them up, and put them in his pockets. As soon as they had done this, they turned hastily to depart, as if they were anxious to be gone now their business was done. The older one took some more cord from his pocket, and bound me fast in the great vestry chair, drawing the cords round my wrists and ancles, till I cried out with the pain. Then threatening again to return, and blow my brains out if they heard my voice, they went out down the aisle, leaving the vestry room door open. All this happened in little more than half an hour; for the clock chimed the two-quarters after midnight at this very moment. I was a little frightened, as you may suppose; but I thought they were only thieves, who had followed me, and got into the church, through my forgetting, in my fright about the tombstone, to fasten the church door; and as I knew that there was very little of value in the vestry-room, I was rather glad to think how they would be baffled. When they got a light, I saw that they had half masks on. They were well dressed, and although they swore at me, it was evident that they were not common burglars; I could tell that from their language. One laid a long shining pair of pistols on the baize that covered the table, out of my reach. I knew he did it to intimi date me; for he asked me immediately for my keys, in a loud voice. It was no use my refusing them; I was quite helpless, and they had nothing to do but to take them out of my hands. I told them that the rector kept all the plate in his house, and that there was nothing in any of the closets but a few bottles I sat there two hours alone; but it seemed of wine, and some wax candles. The oldest to me so long that, if I had not heard every man, I think, asked me then where the books quarter chime, I should have expected to see were kept; but I would not tell him. I de- the day dawn through the stained glass wintermined that, let them do what they might to dow. It was the dreariest two hours that ever me, I would keep to my determination not to I passed in my life. It was bitter cold, and tell them where the books were. They tried sitting there helplessly in one position, my much to terrify me, with words at first, but limbs grew frozen, and the cords seemed to finding that did not do, the elder one, who get tighter and tighter, and stop the movewas the principal in everything, put his pistol ment of my blood. It is no wonder I felt to my ear, and declared he would ask me nervous after such a scene. Where I sat, three times, and after the third time fire. Now with my back to the wall, I looked right into I was in great terror at this, and never be- the church, and the door was left open. I lieved myself so near death as I did then; but could feel a cold wind rushing from it into the I had made a kind of vow to myself, and room; and as I sat staring into the darkness, being in a church, I thought a curse would strange fancies troubled me. I saw dark be upon me if I yielded; so I held my tongue; shapes floating about, as I thought, and peepand when he found I was firm, instead of ing at me from the sides of the doorway; and firing, he flung his pistol down upon the table now and then I noticed something like little again, and began sullenly to try all the locks flakes of light moving in the gloomy space he could find about the room with the keys he beyond. I would have given anything for the had taken from me. In this way he soon power to close the door. I fancied strange found the books he wanted in a fire-proof safe. noises, and began to think of the people I had And now both of them began to pore over known who lay in the vaults just below me or the books by the light of the candle. They in the graves about the church; and several chose two with vellum covers, which I knew I times a heavy hand seemed to be laid upon my arm again, just in the spot where the man had first seized me. Once I could not persuade myself but that I could hear a low, deep tone from the organ; and again the suppressed jangling of the bells annoyed me. So I sat, listening intently, when the whistling of the wind paused out of doors, and hearing and seeing all kinds of strange things, till the chimes went the quarter after two. Soon after that, I saw a little shining light moving about at the bottom of the church. It came nearer to me, and I heard a footstep. I had fancied so many things, that I was not sure yet whether I was deceived again, but now I heard some one call "Abraham Stedman! Abraham Stedman!" three times. It was the rector's voice, and I answered him; but he did not know where I was till I called to him to come into the vestry room. He held up his lamp, and was much surprised to find me as I was. I related to him what had happened, and he unbound me. He told me he had lain awake since midnight wondering to hear no bells ringing, and had grown uneasy; for he thought I could not have failed to keep my word, and he knew that I was in the church alone. So at last, he had determined to come in search of me. This affair made a great stir in Chorley. But we could get no clue to the parties; nor to their object in mutilating the register. They had taken out so many leaves, that it was impossible to tell what particular entry they had wanted to destroy; but it was a curious thing, that on examining the skeleton index, we found that, although there were as many as thirty entries in those six leaves, every one of them began with one of three letters. This was a very small clue, and the marriages at that part were all of many years back; so that no one could ever tell what the names were. It was no wonder that we could get no trace of the two men. Before the next year came round, Chorley people had got some new thing to talk about; and as no one came for a copy of the missing entries in the register, they began to forget all about my adventure. Eighteen months after the night which I was bound in the vestry-room, old Mr. Godby sent for me one night, and told me he thought he might yet be able to trace the two strangers. He had got a copy of a London news paper, in which there was an advertisement addressed to parish clerks, inquiring for the marriage register of a Mr. Maclean, which took place about thirty years before. The initial of that name was one of our three letters; but as the advertisement mentioned no place, that would seem a very small matter to go upon. But I had always thought that the entry which the two strangers had searched for was on the first of the leaves which they tore out, and that it was the other leaves underneath which were torn with it, to put us off the scent. Now, on this first page we found there were two entries, both beginning with M, which was something more. Besides, Mr. Godby reasoned, that a register, about which the parties interested were so uncertain, was the very one which any person knowing of its existence, and having an interest in preventing its appearance, might endeavour to destroy. These three reasons seemed to him so good, that he went up to London about it; and a day or two after, he wrote to me to join him. We were soon upon the scent now; for Mr. Godby had ascertained who were the persons likely to be guilty, supposing that we were right in our conjecture, that the missing register concerned this family. When I saw one of them, I recognised him immediately, although he had worn a mask in the church. I knew him by his appearance, but when he spoke, I could swear that he was the man, and the officer accordingly arrested him. We got such evidence against him afterwards, as clearly to prove him guilty. People were hung for such a crime then; and it was with great difficulty that he escaped with transportation. He confessed all about it afterwards, and said his companion had gone abroad since, he did not know whither; and I believe they never caught him. His motive -as you may suppose-was to defraud children of large property, by destroying the proofs of their legitimacy; by which he benefitted as the next of kin of the deceased person; but the lawyers set all to rights again, in spite of the missing register. As one, THE BELLS. who would yon city reach, He told them how, when he was young, How love first glided with their sound And when, upon his wedding-day, |