how much questioning, no answering, all talking together, all
beside themselves with joy; what kissing, congratulating, embracing,
shaking of hands, and falling into all these raptures, over and over and
over again; no language can describe.

At length, and after a long time, the old locksmith went up and fairly
hugged two strangers, who had stood apart and left them to themselves;
and then they saw--whom? Yes, Edward Chester and Joseph Willet.

'See here!' cried the locksmith. 'See here! where would any of us have
been without these two? Oh, Mr Edward, Mr Edward--oh, Joe, Joe, how
light, and yet how full, you have made my old heart to-night!'

'It was Mr Edward that knocked him down, sir,' said Joe: 'I longed to do
it, but I gave it up to him. Come, you brave and honest gentleman! Get
your senses together, for you haven't long to lie here.'

He had his foot upon the breast of their sham deliverer, in the absence
of a spare arm; and gave him a gentle roll as he spoke. Gashford, for
it was no other, crouching yet malignant, raised his scowling face, like
sin subdued, and pleaded to be gently used.

'I have access to all my lord's papers, Mr Haredale,' he said, in a
submissive voice: Mr Haredale keeping his back towards him, and not once
looking round: 'there are very important documents among them. There are
a great many in secret drawers, and distributed in various places, known
only to my lord and me. I can give some very valuable information, and
render important assistance to any inquiry. You will have to answer it,
if I receive ill usage.

'Pah!' cried Joe, in deep disgust. 'Get up, man; you're waited for,
outside. Get up, do you hear?'

Gashford slowly rose; and picking up his hat, and looking with a baffled
malevolence, yet with an air of despicable humility, all round the room,
crawled out.

'And now, gentlemen,' said Joe, who seemed to be the spokesman of the
party, for all the rest were silent; 'the sooner we get back to the
Black Lion, the better, perhaps.'

Mr Haredale nodded assent, and drawing his niece's arm through his,
and taking one of her hands between his own, passed out straightway;
followed by the locksmith, Mrs Varden, and Dolly--who would scarcely
have presented a sufficient surface for all the hugs and caresses they
bestowed upon her though she had been a dozen Dollys. Edward Chester and
Joe followed.

And did Dolly never once look behind--not once? Was there not one little
fleeting