ollen-draper, in a tone of affected solicitude,--"but are you really
prepared?"

"Quite--quite!" replied Winifred. "This suspense is worse than torture."

"I am almost afraid to utter it," said Kneebone; "but Thames Darrell is
murdered."

"Murdered!" ejaculated Winifred.

"Basely and inhumanly murdered, by Jack Sheppard and Blueskin,"
continued Kneebone.

"Oh! no--no--no," cried Winifred, "I cannot believe it. You must be
misinformed, Mr. Kneebone. Jack may be capable of much that is wicked,
but he would never lift his hand against his friend,--of that I am
assured."

"Generous girl!" cried Jack from behind the skreen.

"I have proofs to the contrary," replied Kneebone. "The murder was
committed after the robbery of my house by Sheppard and his accomplices.
I did not choose to mention my knowledge of this fact to your worthy
father; but you may rely on its correctness."

"You were right not to mention it to him," rejoined Winifred, "for he is
in such a state of distress at the mysterious disappearance of Mrs.
Sheppard, that I fear any further anxiety might prove fatal to him. And
yet I know not--for the object of his visit here to-night was to serve
Jack, who, if your statement is correct, which I cannot however for a
moment believe, does not deserve his assistance."

"You may rest assured he does not," rejoined Kneebone, emphatically,
"but I am at a loss to understand in what way your father proposes to
assist him."

"Mr. Bird, the turner, who is an old friend of our's, has some
acquaintance with the turnkeys of Newgate," replied Winifred, "and by
his means my father hoped to convey some implements to Jack, by which he
might effect another escape."

"I see," remarked Kneebone. "This must be prevented," he added to
himself.

"Heaven grant you may have been wrongly informed with respect to
Thames!" exclaimed Winifred; "but, I beseech you, on no account to
mention what you have told me to my poor father. He is not in a state of
mind to bear it."

"Rely on me," rejoined Kneebone. "One word before we part, adorable
girl--only one," he continued, detaining her. "I would not venture to
renew my suit while Thames lived, because I well knew your affections
were fixed upon him. But now that this bar is removed, I trust I may,
without impropriety, urge it."

"No more of this," said Winifred, angrily. "Is this a season to speak on
such a subject?"

"Perhaps not," rejoined the woollen-draper; "but the uncontrol