r
to make up a bed for me at the Hall, and had left open his bookcase,
lest the time might hang heavy on my hands.

Glad of an excuse to leave town, as it was getting very hot and I had
nothing to do, I took the stage, and towards the middle of the next day
found myself in front of the Baron's country seat.

It was a fine, stately mansion, surrounded by a moat. I crossed the
drawbridge, and inquired whether the Baron was at home. A respectable
matron answered the door. She replied in the negative to my question.

Then, asking if I were Mr. Hardcase, the lawyer, and learning that I
was, she said "The Baron left word that he would be at home some time
to-morrow, or the day after for certain; that in the meantime you were
to make yourself quite at home, sir."

"Oh, very well," said I; "I am rather tired just at present. Leave me
here among the Baron's books. When I have sufficiently rested I should
like to look over the house. It seems a curious old place."

"Yes, sir, it is a _very_ old place," said the housekeeper. "But
wouldn't you like to take a little refreshment first?"

Being then past one o'clock, and having had but a hurried breakfast, I
thanked her and said I thought I could manage a little light
refreshment. She then left me alone, but soon returned with a tray
containing what seemed to be the fag end of a sumptuous banquet. There
was venison pasty, a boiled leg of turkey, some ham, vegetables, bread
and cheese, salad, raspberry and currant tart, a bottle of good old
crusted port, some sherry, Burgundy, etc.

Having done justice to this light repast, I rang the bell for the things
to be cleared away; after which I took down a great number of volumes
from the bookcase, and throwing myself into an easy-chair, I deposited
the books in a heap upon the floor, and began examining their titles,
and occasionally reading a passage here and there when it interested me.

The first book I laid hands on was "Fox's Book of Martyrs," with plates
showing the various modes of torture by which the early Christians were
put to death. I passed on to the next. This was a book of Chinese
punishments, with Chinese illustrations. I opened the book at a plate of
a man being skinned alive.

Having little taste for these sort of horrors, I closed the book and
passed on to the next. The third book was a description of celebrated
executions, with a plate as frontispiece of a man being hanged, drawn,
and quartered. "The Baron seems