ng on. A weight of trouble and danger
was lifted off many hearts by the terrible tragedy, yet in no soul was
there the least feeling of exultation. The fate of the victims was too
awful, too sudden for anyone to feel aught but horror at the thought of
it, and deep sorrow for one at least who had perished in his sins. The
light-hearted lawyer took one look at the remains of him, whom, within
the past few days, he had seen so often in the full enjoyment of life
and health, and resolved that never again, in prose or verse, would he
speak of the person, whose crimes and cunning had returned so avengingly
upon his own head, as the Grinstun man. Mr. Pawkins joked no more, for,
with all his playful untruthfulness, he had a feeling heart. The most
unconcerned man outwardly was Mr. Bangs, and even he said that he would
willingly have given a hundred dollars to see his prisoner safely in
gaol with the chaplain, and afterwards decently hanged. The doctor was
carefully carried out, and set in the presiding chair as coroner over
the third inquest within two days.

CHAPTER XVI.

Inquest and Consequences--Orther Lom--Coolness--Evening
Service--Mr. Pawkins and the Constable--Two Songs--Marjorie, Mr.
Biggles and the Crawfish--Coristine Falls Foul of Mr. Lamb--Mr.
Lamb Falls Foul of the Whole Company--The Captain's Couplet--Miss
Carmichael Feels it Her Duty to Comfort Mr. Lamb.

It is unnecessary to relate the details of the inquest. By various
marks, as well as by the testimony of the woman Flower and of Mr. Bangs
and his party, the remains were identified as those of Rawdon and his
wounded henchman Flower. Some of the jurymen wished to bring in a
verdict of "Died from the visitation of God," but this the Squire, who
was foreman, would not allow. He called it flat blasphemy; so it was
altered to: "Died by the explosion of illicit spirits, through a fire
kindled by the wife of the principal victim, Altamont Rawdon." Nobody
demanded the arrest of Matilda; hence the Squire and the doctor did not
feel called upon to issue a warrant for that purpose. The widowed and
childless Mrs. Flower, for the so-called Harding was her son, claimed
his body, and what remained of her husband's; and asked Mr. Perrowne to
read the burial service over them in the little graveyard behind his
humble church. Mr. Bangs, his work over, got the use of a waggon and the
services of Ben Toner, to take his dead comrade's coffin to Col