still, as he watched the man till he turned.

"Come to put the clock right, Mr Gramp?" he said.

"How do, sir; how do? Yes, I've come over, and not before it was
wanted. Clocks is like human beings, sir, and gets out of order
sometimes. Mr Syme sent word days ago, but I was too busy to come
sooner."

"Ah!" said Vane, for the man was looking at him curiously.

"I hear she went a bit hard the other night, and set all the bells
a-ringing."

"No, only one," said Vane, quickly.

"And no wonder, when folks gets a-meddling with what they don't
understand. Do you know, sir--no, you'll never believe it--watch and
clock making's a hart?"

"A difficult art, too," said Vane, rather nervously.

"Eggs--actly, sir, and yet, here's your shoemaker--bah! your cobbler,
just because the church clock wants cleaning, just on the strength of
his having to wind it up, thinks he can do it without sending for me.
No, you couldn't believe it, sir, but, as true as my name's Gramp, he
did; and what does he do? Takes a couple of wheels out, and leaves 'em
tucked underneath. But, as sure as his name's Chakes, I'm going
straight up to the rectory as soon as I'm done, and if I don't--"

"No, no, don't," cried Vane, excitedly, for the turn matters had taken
was startling. "It was not Chakes, Mr Gramp; it was I."

"You, Mr Lee, sir? You?" cried the man, aghast with wonder. "Whatever
put it into your head to try and do such a thing as that? Mischief?"

"No, no, it was not that; the clock wouldn't go, and I came up here all
alone, and it did seem so tempting that I began to clean a wheel or two,
and then I wanted to do a little more, and a little more, and I got the
clock pretty well all to pieces; and then--somehow--well, two of the
wheels were left out."

The clockmaker burst into a hearty fit of laughter.

"I should think they were left out," he cried. "Then I must use your
name instead of Chakes, eh?"

"No, no, Mr Gramp; pray don't do that; the rector doesn't know. I only
told my uncle, and I wasn't thinking about you when I tried to set it
going."

"But, you see, sir, it was such a thing to do--to meddle with a big
church clock. If it had been an old Dutch with wooden works and sausage
weights, or a brass American, I shouldn't have said a word; but my
church clock, as I've tended for years! really, sir, you know it's too
bad a deal."

"Yes, Mr Gramp, it was too bad; a great piece of--of--assumption."

"Assumption,