l
these remember that their audiences _come_ to be amused, and that their
best drolleries might fall very flat indeed at a Quaker meeting or in a
hospital devoted to men with the jumping tooth-ache! The conditions of
Crime are like those of Disease and Mirth--the patient must be ready
before the inoculation can take place. Eve was unquestionably wishing
for a break in the already dull routine of her life in Eden, before the
Serpent dared to make his appearance; and Arnold had some treason
crudely floating through his mind, even if not that particular treason,
before the overtures of the British commander led him to the attempted
betrayal of the Key of the Highlands. Egbert Crawford, Tombs lawyer,
when he said to Aunt Synchy, "What more could I do, I should like to
know?" meant to be understood as asserting that nothing more was in his
power; but there was really in his heart the wish for aid in some higher
crime to effect his purposes; and the tempter came!

"All dat goin' away from you, and nobody in de way but dat miserable
chile!" was the only comment of the old woman on Crawford's last
question.

"So I suppose," was the puzzled answer.

"Why don't you have a good doctor for him, honey!" asked the old woman,
next.

"A good doctor?" queried Crawford, still more puzzled. "Why curse it,
woman, what are you talking about? Won't he get well too soon, now, and
perhaps be up at West Falls before I am more than half ready for him?"

"Oh, you poor chile--you don't half understan' dis ole woman!" chuckled
the crone, delighted to find that she had puzzled the lawyer. "Spose de
good doctor so good that he nebber get well? Eh, honey?"

"What? poison?" broke out the lawyer, catching at the old woman's
meaning so suddenly that he could not quite control his voice.

"Hush-h-h! you fool!" hissed the old woman, rising at once, hobbling to
the door and opening it suddenly--then closing it and returning to her
chair. "You call yourself a lawyer, honey, and do such things as dat
'are? Done you know dem policers are sneakin' aroun' ebberywhere, up de
stairways as well as ebberywhere else? An if one of dem happened to hear
you speak such words, dis ole woman take a ride up to de Islan' in de
Black Maria, and you go to de debbil, sure! Know all about 'em,
honey--been dare afore!"

"Humph!" said the lawyer, nevertheless using lower voice even for the
disclaimer. "No danger, Aunty, I guess! There are no policemen
now-a-days--only Pr