the case he gathered comfort, and was beginning to feel his
mind somewhat more at ease, when a servant entered to say that Mr.
Crackenfudge requested to see him on particular business.

"He has come to annoy me about that confounded magistracy, I suppose,"
exclaimed the baronet. "Have you any notion what the worthless scoundrel
wants, Gibson?"

"Not the least, your honor, but he seems brimful of something."

"Ay, brimful of ignorance, and of impertinence, too, if he durst show
it; yes, and of as much pride and oppression as could well be contained
in a miserable carcass like his. As he is a sneaking, vigilant rascal,
however, and has a great deal of the spy in his composition, it is not
impossible that he may be able to give me some information touching the
disappearance of Miss Gourlay."

Gibson, after making his bow, withdrew, and the redoubtable Crackenfudge
was ushered into the presence of the baronet.

The first thing the former did was to survey the countenance of his
patron, for as such he wished to consider him and to find him. There,
then, Sir Thomas sat, stern but indifferent, with precisely the
expression of a tiger lying gloomily in his den, the natural ferocity
"in grim repose" for the time, but evidently ready to blaze up at
anything that might disturb or provoke him. Had Crackenfudge been gifted
with either tact or experience, or any enlarged knowledge of the human
heart, especially of the deep, dark, and impetuous one that beat in the
bosom then before him, he would have studied the best and least alarming
manner of conveying intelligence calculated to produce such terrific
effects upon a man like Sir Thomas Gourlay. Of this, however, he knew
nothing, although his own intercourse with him might have well taught
him the necessary lesson.

"Well, Mr. Crackenfudge," said the latter, without moving, "what's wrong
now? What's the news?"

"There's nothing wrong, Sir Thomas, and a've good news."

The baronet's eye and brow lost some of their gloom; he arose and
commenced, as was his custom, to walk across the room.

"Pray what is this good news, Mr. Crackenfudge? Will you be kind enough,
without any unnecessary circumlocution, to favor your friends with it?"

"With pleasure, Sir Thomas, because a' know you are anxious to hear it,
and it deeply concerns you."

Sir Thomas paused, turned round, looked at him for a moment with an
impatient scowl; but in the meaningless and simpering face before him he