the Town
Council; and a drawing, showing the form, materials, and dimensions of
every gravestone, monument, tomb, tablet, memorial, palisades, or curb
proposed to be erected or fixed, together with a copy of the inscription
intended to be cut thereon (if any), on the form provided by the Town
Council, must be left at the office of the Clerk at least ten days
before the first Tuesday in any month. The Town Council reserve to
themselves the right to remove or prevent the erection of any monument,
tomb, tablet, memorial, etc., which shall not have previously received
their sanction.' There! What d' ye think of that?"

Helmsley had listened in astonishment.

"Think? I think it is monstrous!" he said, with some indignation. "Such
a Town Council as that is a sort of many-headed tyrant, resolved to
persecute the unhappy townspeople into their very graves!"

"Right y' are!" said Twitt. "But there's a many on 'em! An' ye may thank
yer stars ye're not anywheres under 'em. Now when _you_ goes the way o'
all flesh----"

He paused, suddenly embarrassed, and conscious that he had perhaps
touched on a sore subject. But Helmsley reassured him.

"Yes, Twitt? Don't stop!--what then?"

"Why, then," said Twitt, almost tenderly, "ye'll 'ave our good old
parzon to see ye properly tucked under a daisy quilt, an' wotever ye
wants put on yer tomb, or wotever's writ on it, can be yer own desire,
if ye'll think about it afore ye goes. An' there'll be no expense at
all--for I tell ye just the truth--I've grown to like ye that well that
I'll carve ye the pruttiest little tombstone ye ever seed for nothin'!"

Helmsley smiled.

"Well, I shan't be able to thank you then, Mr. Twitt, so I thank you
now," he said. "You know a good deed is always rewarded, if not in this
world, then in the next."

"I b'leeve that," rejoined Twitt; "I b'leeve it true. And though I know
Mis' Deane is that straight an' 'onest, she'd see ye properly mementoed
an' paid for, I wouldn't take a penny from 'er--not on account of a
kindly old gaffer like yerself. I'd do it all friendly."

"Of course you would!" and Helmsley shook his hand heartily; "And of
course you _will_!"

This, and many other conversations he had with Twitt and a certain few
of the villagers, showed him that the little community of Weircombe
evidently thought of him as being not long for this world. He accepted
the position quietly, and passed day after day peacefully enough,
without feeling any