him to discover nothing. At length he could dimly distinguish a pallet bed stretched upon the floor beside the great iron bar which traversed the room, and on that pallet reposed the figure of a man. Glossin approached him. "Dirk Hatteraick!"

“Donner and hagel!” said the prisoner, sitting up, and clashing his fetters as he rose, then my dream is true! Begone, and leave me to myself-it will be your best."

"What! my good friend, will you allow the prospect of a few weeks' confinement to depress your spirit ?"

"Yes-when I am only to be released by a halter! -Let me alone-go about your business, and turn the lamp from my face!"

"Pshaw! my dear Dirk, don't be afraid—I have a glorious plan to make all right."

"To the bottomless pit with your plans! you have planned me out of ship, cargo, and life; and I dreamt this moment that Meg Merrilies dragged you here by the hair, and gave me the long clasped knife she used to wear-you don't know what she said. Sturm wetter! it will be your wisdom not to tempt me!"

"But, Hatteraick, my good friend, do but rise and speak to me."

"I will not!-you have caused all the mischief; you would not let Meg keep the boy; she would have returned him after he had forgot all."

66

Why, Hatteraick, you are turned driveller!"

"Wetter! will you deny that all that cursed attempt at Portanferry, which lost both sloop and crew, was your device for your own job?"

"But the goods, you know——”

"Curse the goods! we could have got plenty more; but, der deyvil! to lose the ship and the fine fellows

and my own life, for a cursed coward villain, that always works his own mischief with other people's hands! Speak to me no more—I'm dangerous.' "But, Dirk-but, Hatteraick, hear me only a few words."

"At least get up, for an obstinate Dutch brute," said Glossin, losing his temper, and pushing Hatteraick with his foot.

up

"Donner and blitzen!" said Hatteraick, springing and grappling with him; "you will have it then?" Glossin struggled and resisted, but so ineffectually under his surprise at the fury of the assault, that he fell under Hatteraick, the back part of his neck coming full upon the iron bar with stunning violence. The death-grapple continued. The room immediately below the condemned ward, being that of Glossin, was, of course, empty; but the inmates of even the second apartment beneath felt the shock of Glossin's heavy fall, and heard a noise as of struggling and of groans. But all sounds of horror were too congenial to this place to excite much curiosity or interest.

In the morning, faithful to his promise, Mac-Guffog "Mr Glossin," said he, in a whispering voice. "Call louder," answered Dirk Hatteraick.

came.

"Mr Glossin, for God's sake come away!' !" "He'll hardly do that without help," said Hatteraick.

"What are you chattering there for, Mac-Guffog?" called out the captain from below.

"Come away, for God's sake!" repeated the turnkey.

At this moment the jailor made his appearance with

a light. Great was his surprise, and even horror, to observe Glossin's body lying doubled across the iron bar, in a posture that excluded all idea of his being alive. Hatteraick was quietly stretched upon his pallet within a yard of his victim. In lifting Glossin, it was found he had been dead for some hours. His body bore uncommon marks of violence. The spine, where it joins the scull, had received severe injury by his first fall. There were distinct marks of strangulation about the throat, which corresponded with the blackened state of his face. The head was turned backward over the shoulder, as if the neck had been wrung round with desperate violence. So that it would seem that his inveterate antagonist had fixed a fatal gripe upon the wretch's throat, and never quitted it while life lasted. The lantern, crushed and brøken to pieces, lay beneath the body.

Mac-Morlan was in the town, and came instantly to examine the corpse. "What brought Glossin here?"

said he to Hatteraick.

"The devil!" answered the ruffian,

"And what did you do to him?"

"Sent him to hell before me!" replied the miscreant.

"Wretch, you have crowned a life spent without a single virtue, with the murder of your miserable accomplice!"

"Virtue? donner! I was always faithful to my shipowners always accounted for cargo to the last stiver. Hark ye! let me have pen and ink, and I'll write an account of the whole to our house; and leave me alone a couple of hours, will ye—and let them take away that piece of carrion, donner!"

Mac-Morlan deemed it the best way to humour the savage; he was furnished with writing materials, and

left alone. When they again opened the door, it was found that this determined villain had anticipated justice. He had adjusted a cord taken from the truckle bed, and attached it to a bone, the relique of his yesterday's dinner, which he had contrived to drive into the wall at a height as great as he could reach, standing upon the bar. Having fastened the noose, he had the resolution to drop his body as if to fall on his knees, and to retain that posture until resolution was no longer necessary. The letter he had written to his owners, though chiefly upon the business of their trade, contained many allusions to the younker of Ellangowan, as he called him, and afforded absolute confirmation of all Meg Merrilies and her nephew had told.

To dismiss the catastrophe of these two wretched men, I shall only add, that Mac-Guffog was turned out of office, notwithstanding his declaration, (which he offered to attest by oath,) that he had locked Glossin safely in his own room upon the night preceding his being found dead in Dirk Hatteraick's cell. His story, however, found faith with the worthy Mr Skriegh, and other lovers of the marvellous, who still hold that the Enemy of Mankind brought these two wretches together upon that night by supernatural interference, that they might fill up the cup of their guilt and its meed, by murder and suicide.

CHAPTER XXXVI.

To sum the whole-the close of all.

DEAN SWIFT.

As Glossin died without heirs, and without payment of the price, the estate of Ellangowan was again thrown upon the hands of Mr Godfrey Bertram's creditors, the

right of many of whom was, however, defeasible, in case Henry Bertram should establish his character of heir of entail. This young gentleman put his affairs into the hands of Mr Pleydell and Mr Mac-Morlan, with one single proviso, that though he himself should be obliged again to go to India, every debt, justly and honourably due by his father, should be made good to the claimant. Mannering, who heard this declaration, grasped him kindly by the hand, and from that moment might be dated a thorough understanding between them.

The hoards of Miss Margaret Bertram, and the liberal assistance of the Colonel, easily enabled the heir to make provision for payment of the just creditors, while the ingenuity and research of his law friends detected, especially in the accounts of Glossin, so many overcharges as greatly diminished the total amount. In these circumstances the creditors did not hesitate to recognize Bertram's right, and to surrender to him the house of his ancestors. All the party rushed from Woodbourne to take possession, amid the shouts of the tenantry and the neighbourhood; and so eager was Colonel Mannering to superintend certain operations which he had recommended to Bertram, that he removed with his family from Woodbourne to Ellangowan, although at present containing much less and much inferior accommodation.

The poor Dominie's brain was almost turned with joy. He posted up stairs, taking three steps at once, to a little shabby attic, his cell and dormitory in former days, and which the possession of his much superior apartment at Woodbourne had never banished from his memory. Here one sad thought suddenly struck the honest man-the books !-no three rooms in Ellangowan were capable to contain them. While