, hearing the noise, rushed in, and helped to secure
him. The boy was true to his word, assisting him to the best of his
ability, flinging himself between the legs of his father's assailants,
causing several of them to stumble and fall. At length, the fellow was
secured, and led before a magistrate; the boy, to whom he was heard to
say something which nobody understood, and to whom, after the man's
capture, no one paid much attention, was no more seen.

"The rest, as far as this man was concerned, may be told in a few words;
nothing to criminate him was found on his person, but on his baggage
being examined, a quantity of spurious notes were discovered. Much of
his hardihood now forsook him, and in the hope of saving his life he made
some very important disclosures; amongst other things, he confessed that
it was he who had given me the notes in exchange for the horses, and also
the note to be changed. He was subsequently tried on two indictments, in
the second of which I appeared against him. He was condemned to die;
but, in consideration of the disclosures he had made, his sentence was
commuted to perpetual transportation.

"My innocence was thus perfectly established before the eyes of the
world, and all my friends hastened to congratulate me. There was one who
congratulated me more than all the rest--it was my beloved one,
but--but--she was dying--"

Here the old man drew his hand before his eyes, and remained for some
time without speaking; at length he removed his hand, and commenced again
with a broken voice: "You will pardon me if I hurry over this part of my
story, I am unable to dwell upon it. How dwell upon a period when I saw
my only earthly treasure pine away gradually day by day, and knew that
nothing could save her! She saw my agony, and did all she could to
console me, saying that she was herself quite resigned. A little time
before her death she expressed a wish that we should be united. I was
too happy to comply with her request. We were united, I brought her to
this house, where, in less than a week, she expired in my arms."

CHAPTER XXXIV

The Old Man's Story continued--Misery in the Head--The Strange Marks--Tea-
dealer from London--Difficulties of the Chinese Language.

After another pause the old man once more resumed his narration:--"If
ever there was a man perfectly miserable it was myself, after the loss of
that cherished woman. I sat solitary in the house, in which I had