regard for the peace of this town, or the preservation
of one--it may be two--human lives"--What the deuce does he mean by
that?'

'That he's so anxious for the ceremony, he will expire if it's put off,
and that I may possibly do the same,' replied the lady with great
complacency.

'Oh! I see--not much fear of that;--well--"two human lives, you will
cause him to be removed to-night." (He wants to start at once.) "Fear
not to do this on your responsibility: for to-morrow the absolute
necessity of the proceeding will be but too apparent. Remember: number
nineteen. The name is Trott. No delay; for life and death depend upon
your promptitude." Passionate language, certainly. Shall I see him?'

'Do,' replied Miss Julia; 'and entreat him to act his part well. I am
half afraid of him. Tell him to be cautious.'

'I will,' said the mayor.

'Settle all the arrangements.'

'I will,' said the mayor again.

'And say I think the chaise had better be ordered for one o'clock.'

'Very well,' said the mayor once more; and, ruminating on the absurdity
of the situation in which fate and old acquaintance had placed him, he
desired a waiter to herald his approach to the temporary representative
of number nineteen.

The announcement, 'Gentleman to speak with you, sir,' induced Mr. Trott
to pause half-way in the glass of port, the contents of which he was in
the act of imbibing at the moment; to rise from his chair; and retreat a
few paces towards the window, as if to secure a retreat, in the event of
the visitor assuming the form and appearance of Horace Hunter. One
glance at Joseph Overton, however, quieted his apprehensions. He
courteously motioned the stranger to a seat. The waiter, after a little
jingling with the decanter and glasses, consented to leave the room; and
Joseph Overton, placing the broad-brimmed hat on the chair next him, and
bending his body gently forward, opened the business by saying in a very
low and cautious tone,

'My lord--'

'Eh?' said Mr. Alexander Trott, in a loud key, with the vacant and
mystified stare of a chilly somnambulist.

'Hush--hush!' said the cautious attorney: 'to be sure--quite right--no
titles here--my name is Overton, sir.'

'Overton?'

'Yes: the mayor of this place--you sent me a letter with anonymous
information, this afternoon.'

'I, sir?' exclaimed Trott with ill-dissembled surprise; for, coward as he
was, he would willingly have repudiated the authorship of the