unimportant, will sympathize with Norwood's impatience at the evasive
and distrustful replies that now met his questions. Although the fact
could have no possible concern or interest for him, he prevaricated and
contradicted himself half-a-dozen times over, as to the stranger's age,
country, and appearance, so that, utterly baffled and provoked, the
Viscount turned away and entered the park.

"I, too, shall be reported missing, I suppose," said he, bitterly, as he
walked along a little path that skirted a piece of ornamental water. "By
Jupiter! this is a pleasant morning's work, and must have its reparation
one day or other."

A hearty sneeze suddenly startled him as he spoke; he turned hastily
about, but could see no one, and yet his hearing was not to be deceived!
He searched the spot eagerly; he examined the little boat-shed, the
copse, the underwood,--everything, in fact,--but not a trace of living
being was to be seen; at last a slight rustling sound seemed to issue
from a piece of rustic shell-work, representing a river god reclining
on his urn, and, on approaching, he distinctly detected the glitter of a
pair of eyes within the sockets of the figure.

"Here goes for a brace of balls into him," cried Norwood, adjusting a
cap on his pistol. "A piece of stonework that sneezes is far too like a
man to be trusted."

Scarcely was the threat uttered, when a tremulous scream issued from
within, and a voice, broken with terror, called out,----

"D-don't fire, my Lord. You'll m-m-murder me. I'm Purvis--Sc-Sc-Scroope
Purvis."

"How did you come to be there, then?" asked Norwood, half angrily.

"I 'll tell you when I g-get out!" was the answer; and he disappeared
from the loophole at which he carried on the conversation for some
seconds. Norwood began to fancy that the whole was some mystification of
his brain, for no trace of him was to be had; when he emerged from
the boat-house with his hat stripped of the brim, and his clothes in
tatters, his scratched face and hands attesting that his transit had not
been of the easiest. "It's like a r-r-rat-hole," cried he, puffing for
breath.

"And what the devil brought you there?" asked Norwood, rudely.

"I ca-came out to see the fight!" cried he; "and when you're inside
there you have a view of the whole park, and are quite safe, too."

"Then it was you who drove out in the calessino meant for the doctor?"
said Norwood, with the air of a man who would not brook an equivo