ame on darker and darker. The old-fashioned furniture of the
chamber, which was a kind of hospital for all the invalided movables in
the house, grew indistinct and shadowy in its many shapes; chairs and
tables, which by day were as honest cripples as need be, assumed a
doubtful and mysterious character; and one old leprous screen of faded
India leather and gold binding, which had kept out many a cold breath of
air in days of yore and shut in many a jolly face, frowned on him with
a spectral aspect, and stood at full height in its allotted corner, like
some gaunt ghost who waited to be questioned. A portrait opposite the
window--a queer, old grey-eyed general, in an oval frame--seemed to
wink and doze as the light decayed, and at length, when the last faint
glimmering speck of day went out, to shut its eyes in good earnest, and
fall sound asleep. There was such a hush and mystery about everything,
that Joe could not help following its example; and so went off into
a slumber likewise, and dreamed of Dolly, till the clock of Chigwell
church struck two.

Still nobody came. The distant noises in the house had ceased, and
out of doors all was quiet; save for the occasional barking of some
deep-mouthed dog, and the shaking of the branches by the night wind.
He gazed mournfully out of window at each well-known object as it lay
sleeping in the dim light of the moon; and creeping back to his former
seat, thought about the late uproar, until, with long thinking of, it
seemed to have occurred a month ago. Thus, between dozing, and thinking,
and walking to the window and looking out, the night wore away; the grim
old screen, and the kindred chairs and tables, began slowly to reveal
themselves in their accustomed forms; the grey-eyed general seemed to
wink and yawn and rouse himself; and at last he was broad awake again,
and very uncomfortable and cold and haggard he looked, in the dull grey
light of morning.

The sun had begun to peep above the forest trees, and already flung
across the curling mist bright bars of gold, when Joe dropped from his
window on the ground below, a little bundle and his trusty stick, and
prepared to descend himself.

It was not a very difficult task; for there were so many projections and
gable ends in the way, that they formed a series of clumsy steps, with
no greater obstacle than a jump of some few feet at last. Joe, with his
stick and bundle on his shoulder, quickly stood on the firm earth, and
look