the Doctor impatiently.

"And have ye got authoughreety of Sir Moorray to force it open?" said
Alexander.

"My good man, this is no time for authority. Make haste, and break open
the door."

"I'm no cheecan, gentlemen," said Alexander, with the most aggravating
coolness; "but I've got a verra good seetuation here, and I should be
sore fashed if I had to luse it throw being rash. Sir Moorray might be
verra angered with me for breaking the door."

"My good man, I'd take all responsibility," exclaimed the Rector.
"Pray, be quick!"

"Weel, then, eef that's the case, gentlemen," said Alexander, refreshing
his high-bridged nose with a pinch of snuff--"eef that's the case, I'll
just go and fetch my tools."

Alexander McCray nodded his head sagely, as he took his departure; and
again there was an anxious lapse of time, certainly only of some
minutes, but they seemed then to be hours, and, hurrying into the
drawing-room, and seizing a poker, the Doctor was himself about to
attack the door, when, chisel and mallet in hand, the gardener returned,
his rush tool-basket over his shoulder; and then, strenuously exerting
himself, he soon made an entrance, first for a chisel and then for a
crowbar, with which he strained and strained hard to force open the
strongly-made old oak carved door. For a long while the efforts were
vain; but at last, with a loud crash, the door gave way, and so suddenly
that the gardener fell back with great violence amongst the lookers-on,
when, with an unanimous shriek of dismay, the women-servants turned and
fled, to gaze from distant doorways for some scrap of interest connected
with the elucidation.

But before Sandy McCray had gathered himself together, the Rector,
followed by Dr Challen and Jane, had entered the room, when Mr
Elstree's first act was to catch Jane by the arm and press her back, as
with his other hand he drew to the door.

"My good woman, you will be better away," he said, earnestly.

"I'm not afraid, sir," said Jane, quietly; "and perhaps I may be of some
use."

"Keep that door closed, then," exclaimed the Doctor; and the next moment
he was kneeling upon the carpet, where, motionless, stretched upon his
face, and with his fingers tightly clutching the long nap of the Turkey
carpet, lay the tall, proud form of Sir Murray Gernon.

"No, not that--not that, thank Heaven!" exclaimed the Doctor, after a
brief examination, as, looking up, he answered the Rector's inquiring
gaz