he church tower, on the other side of the way, which had
hitherto been a dark mass against a sky comparatively light, now began
to appear as a light object against a sky of darkness; and even the
narrow surface of the flag-staff at the top could be seen in its dark
surrounding, brought out from its obscurity by the rays from the dancing
light.

Shouts and other noises increased in loudness and frequency. The lapse
of ten minutes brought most of the inhabitants of that end of the
village into the street, followed in a short time by the rector, Mr.
Raunham.

Casting a hasty glance up and down, he beckoned to one or two of the
men, and vanished again. In a short time wheels were heard, and Mr.
Raunham and the men reappeared, with the garden engine, the only one in
the village, except that at Knapwater House. After some little trouble
the hose was connected with a tank in the old stable-yard, and the puny
instrument began to play.

Several seemed paralyzed at first, and stood transfixed, their rigid
faces looking like red-hot iron in the glaring light. In the confusion
a woman cried, 'Ring the bells backwards!' and three or four of the old
and superstitious entered the belfry and jangled them indescribably.
Some were only half dressed, and, to add to the horror, among them was
Clerk Crickett, running up and down with a face streaming with blood,
ghastly and pitiful to see, his excitement being so great that he had
not the slightest conception of how, when, or where he came by the
wound.

The crowd was now busy at work, and tried to save a little of the
furniture of the inn. The only room they could enter was the parlour,
from which they managed to bring out the bureau, a few chairs, some old
silver candlesticks, and half-a-dozen light articles; but these were
all.

Fiery mats of thatch slid off the roof and fell into the road with a
deadened thud, whilst white flakes of straw and wood-ash were flying in
the wind like feathers. At the same time two of the cottages adjoining,
upon which a little water had been brought to play from the rector's
engine, were seen to be on fire. The attenuated spirt of water was as
nothing upon the heated and dry surface of the thatched roof; the
fire prevailed without a minute's hindrance, and dived through to the
rafters.

Suddenly arose a cry, 'Where's Mr. Springrove?'

He had vanished from the spot by the churchyard wall, where he had been
standing a few minutes earlier.

'I fanc