ing cold, and which, in the last deadly struggle, had clutched the damp heavy soil.

Wilkins could say nothing. The blow, which seemed to have been given with a butcher's axe, had split

Most of the members of the English community were assembled in the large office of the English Consulate, where a court had been constituted, with Mr Mitchell as chairman, to make public inquiry into the murder of Mr Daniel Ashbourne of Limerick, Ireland. The witnesses waited in an adjoining room. They were-Doctor Wilkins, James Jervis, with his Chinese comprador, Walter M'Bean, and Arthur Gilmore.

Out of regard to their feelings, Thomas Ashbourne, the brother of the murdered man, and Patrick Inish, had been privately examined, but the Consul opened the public sittings by reading their depositions. It was stated that Mr Daniel Ashbourne had no quarrel of any kind with any native, so that the murder could not possibly be the work of personal revenge.

Dr Wilkins was the chief witness. He related what had occurred on the swamp, and stated that Daniel Ashbourne's behaviour in the Yankiro had been perfectly quiet and orderly. He maintained that the murdered man had given no cause to any one there to attack him.

"How do you account, Dr Wilkins, for the circumstance that neither Daniel Ashbourne nor yourself nor the servants noticed the approach of the murderer?"

"The night was dark; the lanterns being only a short distance ahead of us, the murderer could get behind us without being seen. I was chatting with Ashbourne,

the back from the left shoulder to the middle of the spine. The dying man uttered a deep groan, drew a heavy agonised breath-there was a convulsive quivering of the limbs and then all was over.

and the servants in front were also talking. It was, therefore, possible for us not to hear a slight noise; but as it has been proved that the murderer wore sandals, and as the turf is very soft, it is probable that he approached us without making any noise whatever. The little I did hear was, in my opinion, the rustling of the assassin's dress as he lifted his arm to deal the blow."

"What did you see of the murderer?"

"He was a man who leapt away like a wild stag, and in a moment had disappeared into the night. I had no time to aim at him, although my revolver was ready. He ran in the direction of the Japanese quarter. He wore the usual darkcoloured native garment, but he seemed to me very tall for a native. I am inclined to think it was a s'mo" (wrestler).

"And you say, Dr Wilkins, that the murderer made use of a Japanese sword?"

"Without doubt. There is no modern European weapon with which one could deal such a blow as killed Daniel Ashbourne." "Have you anything more to say?"

"No."

After Dr Wilkins, Mr Jervis was called into the witness-box. He was still suffering, and the court permitted him to sit down. Jervis indeed looked very ill. He replied to the usual preliminary questions as to his identity in a low voice, but without hesitation.

"James Jervis, you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth."

"So help me God."
"Kiss the book."
Jervis complied.

"Now what do you know, Mr Jervis," asked Mr Mitchell, "about the murder of Daniel Ashbourne?" "I was asleep, and was suddenly awakened by screams and shouts. Immediately afterwards I heard two pistol - shots fired in quick succession. I stepped to the window and saw several lanterns right before me, about the middle of the swamp. I dressed at once, but not feeling very well, and having no idea that such a misfortune could have occurred, I called my groom, whom I knew to be the swiftest of my servants, and ordered him to run to the spot indicated by the lanterns, and report to me what had happened. The man was sleepy, and it was several minutes before I saw him leave the house. The other servants meanwhile had been roused, and my comprador joined me on the verandah. There, at a very short distance from my house, we saw a man, who shot past us at lightning speed, in the direction of the Japanese quarter on the hill. We could see him only for an instant. He was a Japanese or a Chinese, certainly not a Europeanthat I could see even in the moment it took him to fly past us. I called my second groom, and ordered him to run after the man, offering him a good reward if he could tell me what had become of the fugitive. Half a minute later the betto was on his track; but a quarter of an hour afterwards he returned breathless, having run half the way to Homura (a village in the neighbourhood of Yokohama) without seeing a living soul. About the same time my first groom returned

and told me of the murder of my neighbour. He had assisted in carrying the corpse to the house of Thomas Ashbourne. That is all I know."

The Chinese comprador of Mr Jervis, who could not be sworn in the usual manner, was simply examined for the better information of the court, and, on the whole, confirmed his master's statement. About the appearance of the man who rushed past the house he could say nothing.

"Something like a shadow flew past us. I could not even recognise that it was a man; and in the same moment, when Mr Jervis called my attention to it, it had already vanished. I did not hear any footsteps."

M'Bean, Ashbourne's second neighbour, had little to tell. He had been awakened by the noise and the shrieks, had dressed himself quickly, and had run towards the lanterns, where he found Dr Wilkins, Thomas Ashbourne, and the two Japanese servants.

Soon afterwards Mr Jervis's betto joined them, and they all carried the body to the house. He had not seen the murderer; but he recollected that he had heard from his house a noise as of some one climbing over a wooden fence he had paid no attention to it, as he had only one thought-to reach the mooras quickly as possible.

Mr Gilmore, duly sworn, said he had left the club to go home a few minutes before midnight. On turning into his street, he was nearly knocked down by a Japanese who rushed against him. He thought the man was going to attack him, but he leapt like a stag, and disappeared immediately. He was a tall, slim man. He could not see the face, which, in Japanese fashion, was covered with a piece of cloth.

Two days later Daniel Ashbourne was carried to his last resting-place. All the members of the English community, and most of the Germans, Americans, and other foreigners living in the settlement, assembled to pay their last respects to the dead. As chief mourner, behind the coffin walked the unfortunate brother of the murdered man. By his side was Patrick Inish, the faithful Irish servant; and then, in long procession, followed the members of the foreign community.

Jervis had told Wilkins the evening before the funeral that he was very unwell, and that it would be impossible for him to be present. But the Doctor was of opinion that his patient would do well not to absent himself.

"You were seen yesterday at the Consulate, and everybody knows that you can go out. People might make all sorts of unpleasant comments. Take my advice, Jervis, and come. all the time."

I'll keep by your side

After a little hesitation, Jervis had said that if he could possibly go out he would attend. He had come, but everybody could see how hard it was for him to climb the steep hill which led to the foreign cemetery. He looked pale and distressed. Several times he had to stop for breath, and to wipe away the heavy drops of perspiration that were gathering fast on his

between the 12th and 13th of June, by an unknown person, who, after the deed, disappeared in the direction of the Japanese quarter, and of whom nothing further has been learned. The murder was committed with a sharp, heavy instrument - probably a Japanese sword."

forehead. Everybody felt grateful to him for doing this last honour to Daniel Ashbourne; and many of his acquaintances who had avoided him for weeks shook hands with him, and asked kindly after his health.

The cemetery was in a wonderfully peaceful and beautiful little grove, formerly belonging to a Japanese temple, the ruins of which were still visible. Trees, hundreds of years old, formed with their mighty branches a leafy roof conferring shade and quiet. Entering the churchyard-which seen from Yokohama looked like a citadel— one could look upon the majestic sea spreading its deep blue waters to the distant horizon; to the left, the city of Yokohama ; to the right, the mountains of Hakkoni, and, towering above all, the mighty crater of Fusi-Yama. In these three directions the hill shelved down in steep, almost impassable declivities. Crippled trees and stunted brushwood had taken root in the rocky clefts, and a slippery, rich, darkgreen moss had covered the sides with a soft velvety carpet. At the foot of the hill were a few fishermen's huts. The foreign community of Yokohama had surrounded their burying-ground with a high stone wall, and appointed two Japanese watchmen to guard their graves from desecration by the natives.

The coffin in which the remains of Daniel Ashbourne reposed now

stood near the open grave. The clergyman read the burial service, and then the body was lowered. "Dust to dust," and all present approached to throw a handful of earth on the coffin. Thomas Ashbourne and Patrick Inish were the first to pay this last tribute; then they stepped back, and remained standing near the open grave. Ashbourne looked with tearful eyes upon the fresh flowers and green branches which covered all that remained of his brother. The gaze of Inish wandered mechanically from one to the other of the members of the foreign community, as they threw their handfuls of earth on the coffin.

This solemn ceremony had lasted for several minutes, in the midst of profound silence, which was rendered still more impressive by the heavy thud of the earth as it fell upon the coffin. Some of the men could scarcely restrain their tears. Inish saw, as if in a dream, the strange faces that appeared and disappeared in turn at the grave of his master. But suddenly a wild expression animated his hard features. His eyes opened wide, and followed with terrible eagerness a man who was staggering back from the grave. His breast heaved with excitement, his lips moved convulsively but not a sound came from them. Thus he stood for a moment, a picture of mute terror, till at last, stretching out his right hand, and pointing his trembling finger at Jervis, he stammered out, in a scarcely audible voice, "Hellington!" Then as if his tongue were loosened by some spell, he shrieked—

"Murder! Murderer! Hellington! Help! Help!"

All eyes were for a moment fixed on Inish, and then followed the direction indicated by his finger.

Somebody had suddenly stepped back from the deep circle of the mourners, and disappeared in the grove. The white figure of the fugitive appeared again and again between the trees, like a hunted beast, and was now fast approaching the wall at the spot where it separated the cemetery from the city.

All now started in pursuit. The tomb was deserted; the clergyman alone remained, standing on tiptoe, and watching the chase. One man, however, had not followed the crowd. This was the consular constable, an experienced London policeman, who had captured many a criminal in his time, and who, coolly calculating in the midst of the general excitement that the fugitive could only escape by one way—namely, the small road which led to the settlement— rushed forward to the opening on that road.

Jervis had a good start of his pursuers, and he was now only a few yards from the wall. With the agility of a cat he climbed the top and disappeared on the other side. His pursuers reached the spot where they had last seen him a few minutes later. Only a few succeeded in climbing the wall, and looked down upon a narrow path which ran along the precipice round the graveyard wall.

"He has broken his neck!" "He is hiding behind the trees. He cannot escape!"

The English consul, calmer than the others, called round him a few of the most intelligent of the foreigners, and proposed some plan of action. Jervis must have run round the narrow path. If they divided in two opposite directions they could not fail to get at him, or drive him to the gate where the constable was keeping watch.

Ashbourne and Inish, who had

listened to the Consul, were the first to reach the other side of the wall; and they were quickly followed by others. Then they separated, one party being led by Consul Mitchell, the other by Ashbourne.

The path from which one could look down the precipice was narrow. The rock went down almost perpendicularly in some places; in others it was still so steep that it seemed impossible for any man to reach the bottom alive. Every step was dangerous; every tree, every corner in the wall, had to be examined carefully; and though Mitchell and Ashbourne led their men with much daring, at least twenty minutes passed before the two met at the gate.

"We have seen nothing of Jervis!" they exclaimed almost simultaneously.

The policeman stated that nobody had gone down by the road. He would answer for that.

"Then he must have fallen from the rock, and we shall find his body below," said Mitchell.

They ran down the hill, but they had to take a roundabout way to get at the huts at the foot of the rock. There everything was quiet. In vain did they look for the mutilated corpse they expected to find.

A few half-naked fishermen were standing at the doors of their huts looking curiously at the heated and excited strangers. One of the natives began to speak, and everybody listened to him.

"Mr Jervis? I know him well. Many a time we have sailed out together in stormy weather. I saw him here in front of my house about half an hour ago. I can't tell how he came there. I heard the rolling of loose stones, and stepped outside, and there he stood before me with bloody hands and

torn dress; but in a minute he was gone. He ran towards Yokohama."

The sun was shining unmercifully; many of the young men felt completely exhausted, and took boats to return to the city. Only Ashbourne, Inish, Mitchell, and the policeman proceeded at a running pace towards Yokohama. Jervis's house was the first to be reached. The fugitive might have entered it without being noticed, if he had come across the swamp, where, at that hour of the day, nobody was to be seen.

The pursuers entered the courtyard; but everything there was quiet and peaceful. The large

doors and windows of the house stood wide open, so that one could see through the whole building. In front of the stable sat Jervis's groom smoking a pipe. He rose on recognising the Consul, and professed himself ready to answer all questions to the best of his knowledge.

"Mr Jervis," he said, “had returned a little while before from the graveyard-perhaps an hour ago. He had opened the stable door, and told the groom to saddle Tautai. Then he had rushed into the house and had returned quickly with a little bundle, which he had fastened to his saddle, and had disappeared in the direction of Kanagawa and Yedo."

"What was in the bundle?" "Japanese clothing and a sword, I think."

"How was Mr Jervis dressed?"
"He wore a light linen suit."
"Was he armed?"

"He had a revolver and a heavy riding whip."

Whilst Mr Mitchell went to the Governor of Yokohama to demand pursuit of the criminal by the Japanese authorities, Ashbourne and his friends entered the house. In