ed to entertain no particular desire on the subject one
way or other, but briefly remarking that he had his orders, and intended
to obey them, pushed him in, turned the key, and retired.

Dennis stood trembling with his back against the door, and involuntarily
raising his arm to defend himself, stared at a man, the only other
tenant of the cell, who lay, stretched at his fall length, upon a stone
bench, and who paused in his deep breathing as if he were about to wake.
But he rolled over on one side, let his arm fall negligently down, drew
a long sigh, and murmuring indistinctly, fell fast asleep again.

Relieved in some degree by this, the hangman took his eyes for an
instant from the slumbering figure, and glanced round the cell in search
of some 'vantage-ground or weapon of defence. There was nothing moveable
within it, but a clumsy table which could not be displaced without
noise, and a heavy chair. Stealing on tiptoe towards this latter
piece of furniture, he retired with it into the remotest corner,
and intrenching himself behind it, watched the enemy with the utmost
vigilance and caution.

The sleeping man was Hugh; and perhaps it was not unnatural for Dennis
to feel in a state of very uncomfortable suspense, and to wish with
his whole soul that he might never wake again. Tired of standing, he
crouched down in his corner after some time, and rested on the cold
pavement; but although Hugh's breathing still proclaimed that he
was sleeping soundly, he could not trust him out of his sight for an
instant. He was so afraid of him, and of some sudden onslaught, that he
was not content to see his closed eyes through the chair-back, but
every now and then, rose stealthily to his feet, and peered at him with
outstretched neck, to assure himself that he really was still asleep,
and was not about to spring upon him when he was off his guard.

He slept so long and so soundly, that Mr Dennis began to think he might
sleep on until the turnkey visited them. He was congratulating himself
upon these promising appearances, and blessing his stars with much
fervour, when one or two unpleasant symptoms manifested themselves: such
as another motion of the arm, another sigh, a restless tossing of the
head. Then, just as it seemed that he was about to fall heavily to the
ground from his narrow bed, Hugh's eyes opened.

It happened that his face was turned directly towards his unexpected
visitor. He looked lazily at him for some half-d