uld
solemnly bind myself to pay to him a certain sum per annum, he would
keep my secret, and forsaking his calling as hangman, endeavour to do
something that should bring with it pleasanter results. I did so
solemnly promise him, and I have kept my word. By one means or another I
have succeeded in procuring the required amount, and now he is no more."

"I believe," cried Henry, "that he has fallen a victim to the blind fury
of the populace."

"You are right, he has so, and accordingly I am relieved from the burden
of those payments; but it matters little, for now I am so near the tomb
myself, that, together with all my obligations, I shall soon be beyond
the reach of mortal cavilling."

"You need not think so, Varney; you must remember that you are at
present suffering from circumstances, the pressure of which will soon
pass away, and then you will resume your wonted habits."

"What did you do next?" said the admiral.--"Let's know all while you are
about it."

"I remained at the hangman's house for some time, until all fear of
discovery was over, and then he removed me to a place of greater
security, providing me from his own resources with the means of
existence, until I had fully recovered my health, and then he told me to
shift for myself.

"During my confinement though, I had not been idle mentally, for I
concocted a plan, by which I should be enabled not only to live well
myself, but to pay to the hangman, whose name was Mortimore, the annual
sum I had agreed upon. I need not go into the details of this plan. Of
course it was neither an honest nor respectable one, but it succeeded,
and I soon found myself in a position to enable me thereby to keep my
engagement, as well as to supply me with means of plotting and planning
for my future fortunes.

"I had never for a moment forgotten that so large a sum of money was
somewhere concealed about Bannerworth Hall, and I still looked forward
to obtaining it by some means or another.

"It was in this juncture of affairs, that one night I was riding on
horseback through a desolate part of England. The moon was shining
sweetly, as I came to a broad stream of water, across which, about a
mile further on, I saw that there was a bridge, but being unwilling to
waste time by riding up to it, and fancying, by the lazy ripple of the
waters, that the river was not shallow, I plunged my horse boldly into
the stream.

"When we reached its centre, some sudden indisposition mu