sin, Jim Redmond's aunt, was easy of faith;--Jim, it was
presumed, not very accurate in narration, and Peter, not much better.
Though, however, it was not actually 'intelligence,' it was a startling
thesis. And though some raised their brows and smiled darkly, and shook
their heads, the whole town certainly pricked their ears at it. And not
a man met another without 'Well! anything more? You've heard the report,
Sir--eh?'

It was not till Doctor Toole came out of town, early that day, that the
sensation began in earnest.

'There could be no doubt about it--'twas a wonderful strange thing
certainly. After so long a time--and so well preserved too.'

'_What_ was it--what _is_ it?'

'Why, Charles Nutter's corpse is found, Sir!'

'Corpse--hey!'

'So Toole says. Hollo! Toole--Doctor Toole--I say. Here's Mr. Slowe
hasn't heard about poor Nutter.'

'Ho! neighbour Slowe--give you good-day, Sir--not heard it? By Jove,
Sir--poor Nutter!--'tis true--his body's found--picked up this morning,
just at sunrise, by two Dunleary fishermen, off Bullock. Justice Lowe
has seen it--and Spaight saw it too. I've just been speaking with him,
not an hour ago, in Thomas Street. It lies at Ringsend--and an inquest
in the morning.'

And so on in Doctor Toole's manner, until he saw Dr. Walsingham, the
good rector, pausing in his leisurely walk just outside the row of
houses that fronted the turnpike, in one of which were the lodgings of
Dick Devereux.

The good Doctor Toole wondered what brought his reverence there, for he
had an inkling of something going on. So he bustled off to him, and told
his story with the stern solemnity befitting such a theme, and that
pallid, half-suppressed smile with which an exciting horror is sometimes
related. And the good rector had many ejaculations of consternation and
sympathy, and not a few enquiries to utter. And at last, when the theme
was quite exhausted, he told Toole, who still lingered on, that he was
going to pay his respects to Captain Devereux.

'Oh!' said cunning little Toole, 'you need not, for I told him the whole
matter.'

'Very like, Sir,' answered the doctor; 'but 'tis on another matter I
wish to see him.'

'Oh!--ho!--certainly--very good, Sir. I beg pardon--and--and--he's just
done his breakfast--a late dog, Sir--ha! ha! Your servant, Doctor
Walsingham.'

Devereux puzzled his comrade Puddock more than ever. Sometimes he would
descend with his blue devils into the abyss, and sit