the kind, mild, pale-faced gentleman--the lord they used so
ill--eh, Hugh?'

'Ay!' returned his friend, dropping his hand, and looking at Gashford
for an instant with a changed expression before he spoke to him. 'Good
day, master!'

'And good day to you,' replied the secretary, nursing his leg.

'And many good days--whole years of them, I hope. You are heated.'

'So would you have been, master,' said Hugh, wiping his face, 'if you'd
been running here as fast as I have.'

'You know the news, then? Yes, I supposed you would have heard it.'

'News! what news?'

'You don't?' cried Gashford, raising his eyebrows with an exclamation
of surprise. 'Dear me! Come; then I AM the first to make you acquainted
with your distinguished position, after all. Do you see the King's Arms
a-top?' he smilingly asked, as he took a large paper from his pocket,
unfolded it, and held it out for Hugh's inspection.

'Well!' said Hugh. 'What's that to me?'

'Much. A great deal,' replied the secretary. 'Read it.'

'I told you, the first time I saw you, that I couldn't read,' said Hugh,
impatiently. 'What in the Devil's name's inside of it?'

'It is a proclamation from the King in Council,' said Gashford, 'dated
to-day, and offering a reward of five hundred pounds--five hundred
pounds is a great deal of money, and a large temptation to some
people--to any one who will discover the person or persons most active
in demolishing those chapels on Saturday night.'

'Is that all?' cried Hugh, with an indifferent air. 'I knew of that.'

'Truly I might have known you did,' said Gashford, smiling, and folding
up the document again. 'Your friend, I might have guessed--indeed I did
guess--was sure to tell you.'

'My friend!' stammered Hugh, with an unsuccessful effort to appear
surprised. 'What friend?'

'Tut tut--do you suppose I don't know where you have been?' retorted
Gashford, rubbing his hands, and beating the back of one on the palm of
the other, and looking at him with a cunning eye. 'How dull you think
me! Shall I say his name?'

'No,' said Hugh, with a hasty glance towards Dennis.

'You have also heard from him, no doubt,' resumed the secretary, after a
moment's pause, 'that the rioters who have been taken (poor fellows) are
committed for trial, and that some very active witnesses have had the
temerity to appear against them. Among others--' and here he clenched
his teeth, as if he would suppress by force some violent words that ro