eat, and lay in a motionless heap a

itable, no doubt, long ago; but hastened, it may be,

many of its worst aspects, and the grim King of Terrors had little terror for him. He was hardened, steeped in guilt, and callous as to the suf

scious old man. He loosened his cravat, unfastened h

clerk's weary soul had been making feeble struggle

ve fatal," Joseph muttered; "I shoul

ph put his head out of the open win

y, in answer to tha

"help me to lift him out of the carria

rms of the two strong men. They carried it i

hampton train rushed onward

as in commotion. A gentleman had been

n ten minutes. He shook his he

ad; but we must do our best. Is the

wered, pointing to Joseph;

ooked a vagabond, certainly - every inch a vagabond; a reckless, dare-

to this gentleman?" the

am his b

st hotel. I will send a woman to nurse him. Do you

I do

suspicious than ever, af

you are his brother, should not be able

h an air of carelessness t

s have happened in this world before now. My broth

- a humble, countrified place, but clean and orderly. Here he was taken to a b

ed brain. The soul was gone already. The body lay, a form of motionless and senseless clay, under the

e by-and-by, and took her place by the pill

ng?" Joseph asked eagerly, as the

I fear there

t be ov

believe that he can last mor

clamation of surprise or grief from the dying man's brother: but there wa

Joseph Wilmot's face made it, in its sullen gloom,

f it," he muttered; "I shal

ut of a little sitting-room. Sampson's carpet-bag

in the clothes that had been take

aistcoat-pocket, and a well-worn leather-covered memoran

ng-room, closed the door between the tw

brought the candles

ned five hours ago. B

ss, set them on the table, and left the room. Joseph Wilmo

he muttered; "these country

out a glass of brandy, drank it, and th

. He took out the memorandum-book first, and examined it. There were five Bank of

official seal of the banking-house. The name of Stephen Balde

is the junior partner's letter of welco

the memorandum-book, and then looked at

only memorandum that ha

d of these

n or about the 19th inst., per steamer Electra;

pose. I remember seeing his marriage in the papers, twenty years ago. He married well,

e table before him, brooding, brooding, brooding; with a sin

he was loud, reckless, brutal, violent: but

om his pocket, knelt down before the p

lean shirts, and the necessaries of the clerk's simple toilet. The carpet-bag contai

e door between the two rooms. There had been no change in the sick chamber. The nurs

, I suppos

sir;

ll, presently. I shall be

e of the portmanteau, and tore off the label with his brother's name upon it. He tore a simil

into his pocket, he began to walk up and down the

: a post-mortem examination, perhaps: and I shall be detained till all that is over. I shall be detained two or three days at least: and in the mean time Henry Dunbar may arrive at Southampton, hurry on to London, and I may miss the one chance of

well with his vagabond appearance - and went out, after stopping for a min

ailway station, and made