passed the inn, he dispatched a waiter with a message that she should be
sent up to him. Previous to this the hag had been several times with
his wife, on whom she laid serious injunctions never to disclose to her
husband the relationship between them. The woman had never done so, for
in fact the acknowledgement of Nell, as her mother, would have been
to, any female whose feelings had not been made callous by the world, a
painful and distressing task. Nell was the more anxious on this point,
as she feared that such a disclosure would have frustrated her own
designs.

"Well, granny," said he, when Nell entered, "any word of the money?"

Nell cautiously shut the door, and stood immediately fronting him, her
hand at some distance from her side, supported by her staff, and her
gray glittering eyes fixed upon him with that malicious look which she
never could banish from her countenance.

"The money will come," she replied, "in good time. I've a charm near
ready that'll get a clue to it. I'm watchin' him--and I'm watched
myself--an' Ellen's watched. He has hardly a house to put his head in;
but _nabockish!_ I'll bring you an' him together--ay, _dher manim_, an'
I'll make him give you the first blow; afther that, if you don't give
him one, it's your own fau't."

"Get the money first, granny. I won't give him the blow till _it_ is
safe."

"Won't you?" replied the beldame; "ay, _dher Creestha_, will you, whin
you know what. I have to tell you about him an'--an'----"

"And who, granny?"

"_Diououl_, man, but I'm afeard to tell you, for fraid you'd kill me."

"Tut, Nelly; I'd not strike an Obeah-wo-man," said he, laughing.

"I suspect foul play between him an'--her."

"Eh? Fury of hell, no!"

"He's very handsome," said the other, "an' young--far younger than you
are, by thirteen--"

"Go on--go on," said the Dead Boxer, interrupting her, and clenching
his fist, whilst his eyes literally glowed like live coals, "go on--I'll
murder him, but not till--yes, I'll murder him at a blow--I will; but
no--not till you secure the money first. If I give him the blow--THE
BOX--I might never get it, granny. A dead man gives back nothing."

"I suspect," replied Nell, "_arraghid_--that is the money--is in other
hands. Lord presarve us! but it's a wicked world, blackey."

"Where is it!" said the Boxer, with a vehemence of manner resembling
that of a man who was ready to sink to perdition for his wealth. "Devil!
and furies! where