under the entirely unobjectionable
title of "The Hand of Death." Allan's resolution to extract amusement
from Castletown by main force had resisted a great deal, but it
failed him at this stage of the investigations. He suggested trying an
excursion to some other place. Midwinter readily agreeing, they went
back to the hotel to make inquiries.

Thanks to the mixed influence of Allan's ready gift of familiarity,
and total want of method in putting his questions, a perfect deluge of
information flowed in on the two strangers, relating to every subject
but the subject which had actually brought them to the hotel. They
made various interesting discoveries in connection with the laws and
constitution of the Isle of Man, and the manners and customs of the
natives. To Allan's delight, the Manxmen spoke of England as of a
well-known adjacent island, situated at a certain distance from the
central empire of the Isle of Man. It was further revealed to the two
Englishmen that this happy little nation rejoiced in laws of its own,
publicly proclaimed once a year by the governor and the two head judges,
grouped together on the top of an ancient mound, in fancy costumes
appropriate to the occasion. Possessing this enviable institution,
the island added to it the inestimable blessing of a local parliament,
called the House of Keys, an assembly far in advance of the other
parliament belonging to the neighboring island, in this respect--that
the members dispensed with the people, and solemnly elected each other.
With these and many more local particulars, extracted from all sorts and
conditions of men in and about the hotel, Allan whiled away the weary
time in his own essentially desultory manner, until the gossip died out
of itself, and Midwinter (who had been speaking apart with the landlord)
quietly recalled him to the matter in hand. The finest coast scenery in
the island was said to be to the westward and the southward, and there
was a fishing town in those regions called Port St. Mary, with a hotel
at which travelers could sleep. If Allan's impressions of Castletown
still inclined him to try an excursion to some other place, he had only
to say so, and a carriage would be produced immediately. Allan jumped at
the proposal, and in ten minutes more he and Midwinter were on their way
to the western wilds of the island.

With trifling incidents, the day of Mr. Brock's departure had worn on
thus far. With trifling incidents, in which n