"HAND AND RING,"

IBs Anna Kiti-HR-SK Gbben, or of "The Leavenworth Murder," "The Sword of Damodoß," "Tho Dofence Of thePrudo,"etc.

I CHAPTER IX. CLOSE CALCULATIONS. Truth alone, tangible and palpable; such truth y bo weighed and measured; truth do ical conclusion-close, spvere premisesincontrovertlblo._ MouLTEjB _ xcitement induced by the foregoing ncemont had, in a degree, Subsided. 3roner,who appeared to be osmuch ;d as any one at the result of the day's .dings, had manifested his desire of ig certain questions to the young man, id begun by such inquiries into bis sdents and his connection with Mrs nons as elicited the most complete >oration of all Miss Firman, state investigation into his motives for in- East at this time next followed, in mrso of which he acknowledged that dertook the journoy solely for the pur •f seeing Mrs Olemmens. And when why he wished to see her at this admitted, with some manifestation of 3, that he desired to see for himself ler she was really in as strong and liy a condition as lie had always been his pecuniary embarrassments being that he could not prevent his mind dwelling upon possibilities which, r any other circumstances, ho would been ashamed to consider. »" And did you see Mrs Clemmcns?" tho joroner inquired. "Yes, sir; I did." •■When?" "On Tuesday, sir; about noon. Tbe answer was given almost with bravado, ond the silence among the various auditors became intense. "You admit, then, that you were in the widow's house the' morning she waß murdered, and that you had an interview with her a few minutes before the fatal Wow wob struck ?" "I do." . , , Thero was a doggedness in the tone, and dogged-ess in the look that accompanied it. The coroner moved a little forward In h_3 chair and uttered his next question with deep gravity. "Did you approach the widows house by'the road and enter into it by means of I the front door overlooking the lane?" "I did." , , , " And did you meet no one ki the lane, or see no one at tho windows of any of tlie houses as yon came by ?" ■ "No, sir." "How long did you stay in this house, and what was the result of the interview which you had with Mrs Clemmens ?" i "Istayed, perhaps, ten minutes, and I learned nothing from Mrs Clemmens, save that she was well and hearty, and likely to live out her threescore years and ten for all hint that her conversation or appearance gave me." He spoke almost with a tone of resent ment; his eyes glowed darkly, and a thrill ef horror sped through tho room ns if they felt that tho murderer himself stood beforo them. " You will tell me what was said in this interview, if you please, and whether the widow knew who you were; and, if so, •whether any words of anger passed between yoa?" The face of the young man burned, and lie looked at the coroner and then at the jurymen, as if he would like to challenge the whole crew, but the colour that showed in his face was the flush of shame, or so thought Mrßyrd, and in his reply, when he gave it, there was a bitterness of self-scorn that reminded the detective more of the mortification of a gentleman caught in an act of meanness than the secret alarm of a man who had been beguiled into commit ting a dastardly crime. " Mrs Clemmenß was evidently a woman of some spirit," said he, forcing out his •words with sullen desperation. " She may have used sharp language; I believe indeed ehe did ; but she did not know who I was, for—for I pretended to be a seller of patent medicine; warranted to cure all ills, and Bhe told me she had no ills, aud and— Do you want a man to disgrace _j.i """if-_._- joir presence rhe suddenly flashed out, cringing under the gaze of the many curious and unsympathetic eyes fixed upon him. But the coroner, with a sudden assump tion of severity, pardonable, perhaps, in a man with a caso of such importance on his hand., recommended the witness to be calm and not to allow any small feelings of per • sonal mortification to interfere with a testimony of so much evident value. And without waiting for the witnese to recover himself, asked again: "What did the widow say, and with what words did you leave ?" " The widow said she abominated drugs, and never took them/ I replied that she mado a great mistake, if she had any ail ments. Upon which she retorted that she had no ailment, and politely showed me the door. I do not remember that anything elso passed between us." His tone, whioh had been shrill and high, dropped at the final sentence, and by the nervous workings of his lips Mr Byrd per ceived that he dreaded the next question. The persons grouped around him evidently dreaded it too. • But it was less searching than they ex pected, and proved that tbe coroner pre ferred to approach his point by circuitous rather than direct means. "In what room was the conversation held, and by what door did you come in and go out?" ' - "I came in by the front door, and we stood in that room "—pointing to the sit ting room from which he had just issued. " Stood I Did yon not sit down V " No." '• Stood all the time, and in that room to which you have juat pointed ?" "Yes." ' The coroner drew a deep breath, and looked at the witness long and searchingly. Mr Hildreth's way of uttering this word had been anything but pleasant, and con sequently anything but satisfactory. A low murmur began to eddy through the rooms. ... "Gentlemen, silence I' commanded the coroner, venting in this injunction some of the uncomfortable emotion with which he was evidently surcharged; for his next words were spoken in a comparatively quiet , voice, though the fixed severity of his eye could have given the witness but little en couragement. " You say," ho declared, "thatin coming through the lane yon encountered no one. Was this equally true of your return ?" "Yes, sir; I believe so. I don't re member. I was not looking up," was the slightly confused reply. " You passed, however, through the lane and entered the main Btreet by the usual path?" "Yes." " And where did you go then ?" - "To thedep6t." "Ah I" " I wished to leave the town. I had done with it." ' « And did you do so, Mr Hildreth ?" "I did." " Where did you go ?" "To Albany, where I had left my traps." "You took the noon train, then?" " Yes, sir." "Which leaves precisely five minutes after twelve ?" " 1 suppose so." " Took it without stopping anywhere on tiie way?" " Yes sir. " Did you buy a ticket at the office ?" "No, sir." : "Why?" " 1 did not have time." "Ah, the train was at the station, then?" Mr Hildreth did not reply; he had evi dently been driven almost to the end of hia pationco, or possibly of his courage, by this quick fire of small questions. The coroner caw this and pressed his ad vintage. . ■ " Was tho train at the station or not when you arrived there, Mr BHdreth?" "I do not sco why it can interest you to know," the witness retorted, with a flash of somewhat natural anger; " but since you insist, I will tell you that it was just going out, and that I had to run to reach it, and only got a foothold upon the platform of the rear car at the risk of my life." He lookod as if he wished it had been at tlie cost of his life, and compressed hie lips and moved restlessly from side to side as if the battery of eyes levelled upon hie face were so many points of red-hot steel burn ing into his brain. A; A'",'" But the coroner, intent upon his duty, released: not one jot of the steady hold he had taken upon his victim. :";'*,'Mr B/ildreth," said he, *'y6ur position as the only person who acknowledges him jfeeelftohavo-biioii in this house during.the I^^^^aiii^tai- preceded tho a-, .ult, makes (

everything you can tell us in reference to your visit of the highest importance. Was the widow alone, do you think, or did you soo anything—pause now and consider well -anything that would lead you to suppose thoro was anyone beside her and yourself in tho houso?" It was the suggestion of.a just man, and Mr Byi-d lookod to ccc the witness grasp with all tho energy of despair at the pro spect of release it held out. But Mr Hildroth either felt his cause boyond tho reach of any such assistance, or his under standing was so dulled by misery ho could not sco the advantago of acknowledging tho presence of a third party in tho cottage. Giving a dreary shako of the head, ho slowly answered: "Thero may have been somebody elso in the house, I don't know ; but if so I didn't hear him or see him. I thought wo wero alone." The frankness with which ho made the admission was in his favour, but the quick and overpowering flush that roso to bis faco the moment he had given utterance'to it, betrayed so unmistakable a consciousness of what tho admission implied that the effect was immediately revorsod. Seeing that he had lost rather than gained in tho opinions of the merciless inquisitors about him, he wont back to his old bravado, and haughtily lifted-his head. "One question more," resumed tho coroner. "You havo said that Mrs Clem mens was a spirited woman. Now, what mado you think so? Any expression of annoyance on her part at tho interruption in her work which your errand had caused her, or merely the expression of her faco and the general way she had of speaking ?" "Tho latter, I think, though she did use a harsh word or two when sho showed mo the door." " And raised her voice ?" " Yes, yes." \" Mr Hildreth," intimated the coroner, j rising, "will you bo kind onough to step with mo into tho adjoining room ? " With a look of wonder not unmixed with alarm, the young man prepared to comply. " I should like tho attention of the jury," Dr. Tredwell signified as he passed through tho door. Thero was no need to give them this hint. Not a man of them but was already on his feet in eager curiosity as to what their pro siding officer was about to do. " I wish you to tell me now," tho coroner demanded of Mr Hildreth, as they paused in the centre of the sitting-room, " where it was you stood during your interview with Mrs Clemmens, and, if possiblo, take tho very position now which you held at that time. , „ __~ "There are too many porsons here, tho witness objected, visibly rebelling at a re quest of whioh he could not guess tho full significance. "The people present will stop back, declared the coroner ; " you will havo no trouble in taking your stand on the spot you occupied tho other day." " Hero, then !" exclaimed tho young man, taking a position near tho centre of the room. " And the widow ?" " Stood there." "Pacing you?" "Yes." " I see," intimated the coroner, pointing toward the windows. "Her back was to tho yard while you stood with your faco to ward it." Then with a quick motion, summoning the witness back into the other room, asked, amid the breathless attention of the crowd, whom this bit of by-play had wrought up to expectation : " Did you ob serve anyone go around to the back door while you stood thero, and go away again without attempting to knock ?" Mr Hildreth knitted his brow and seomed to think. " Answer," persisted the coroner ; " it is not a question that requires thought." " Well, then, I didnot," cried tbe witness, looking the other directly in the eye, with the first gleam of real manly feeling which he had yet displayed: " You did not see a tramp como into the yard, walk around to tho kitchen door, wait a moment as if hesitating whether he would rap, and then turn and come back again without doing so ?" "No, sir." The coroner drew a piece of paper before him and began figuring on it. Earnestly, almost wildly, the young man watched him, drawing a deep breath and turning quite pale as the other paused and looked up. "Yet," affirmed the coroner, as if no delay had occurred since he received his last answer, "such a person did approach the house while 3ou were in it, and if you had Btood whero you say, you must have seen him." It was a vital thrust, a relentless presen tation nf .*•-_*,. or.rl.__n s nr>h shook thp. -lit. neSS out of his lately acquired composure. Glancing' hastily about, he sought the as sistance of some one both capable and will ing to advise him in this crisis, but seeing no one, he made a vigorous effort and called together his own faculties. " Sir," he protested, a tremor of undis guised anxiety finding way into his voice, " I do not see how you make that all out. What proof have you that this tramp of which you speak came to the house while I was in it? Could he not have come before ? Or, what was better, could he not have come after !."'.< The ringing tone with which the last question was put startled everybody. No Bucb sounds had issued from his lips before. Had he caught a glimpse of hope, or was he driven to an extremity in bis defence that forced him to assert himself ? The eyes of Miss Firman and of a few other women be gan to soften, and even the face of Mr Byrd betrayed that a change was on tho verge of taking place in his feelings. But the coroner's look and tone dashed cold water on this young and tender growth of sympathy. Passing over to the witness the paper on which ho had been scribbling, he explained with dry significance: "It is only a matter of subtraction and addition, Mr Hildreth. You have said that upon quitting this house you went directly to the dep6t, where you arrived barely in time to jump on the train as it was leaving tbe station. Now, to walk from this place to the depot at any pace you would be likely to use, would occupy—well, let us say seven minutes. . At. two minutes beforo twelve, then, you were still in this house. Well?" he ejaculated, interrupting himself as the other opened his lips, "nave you anything to Bay ?" " No, was the dejected and hesitating reply. The coroner at once resumed : "But at five -minutes before-twelve, Mr Hildreth, the tramp walked into the widow's yard. Now, allowing only two minutes for your interview with that' lady, the con clusion remains that you were in the house when he came up to it. Yet you declare that, although you stood in full view of the yard, you did not see him." " You figure closer than an astronomer calculating an eclipse," burst from the y^onng man's lips in a flash of that resolu tion which had for the last few minutes animated him. "How do yon know your witnesses to have been so exact to a second when they Bay this and that of the goings and comings you are pleased to put in an arithmetical problem? A minute or two one way or the other would make a sad dis crepancy in your calculations, Mr Coroner." "I know it," assented Dr. Tredwell, quietly ignoring the other's heat, " but if | the jury will remember, there we're four witnesses, at least, who testified to the ■ striking of the town clock just as the tramp finally issued from the lane, and one witness, of well-known accuracy in matters of detail, who declared on oath that she had just dropped her eyes from that same clock when she observed the tramp go into the widow's gate, and' that it was five minutes to twelve exactly. But, lest Ido seem too nice in my calculations," tho coroner inex orably pursued, ",1 wll take the trouble of putting it another way. At what time did you leave the hotel, Mr Hildroth 1" "I don't know," was the testy response. "Well, lean tell you," tho coroner as sured him. "It was about twenty minutes to twelve, or possibly earlier, but no later. My reason for saying this,".he went on, drawing onco more before him tho fatal sheet of paper, "is that Mrs Dayton's children next .- door wero out playing in front of this house for some few minutes previous to the . timo the tramp came into the lane. As you did not see them you must have arrived here before they began their game, and that, at the least calculation, would make the time as early as a quarter to twelve." " Well," the fierce looks of the other seemed to say, " and what if it was ?" "Mr Hildreth," continued the coroner, "if yon were in this house at a quarter to twelve, and did not leave it-till two minutes before, and the interview was as you say a mere interchange of a dozen words or so, that could not possibly, have occupied more than three minutes f where were you during all the. rest of the time that must have elapsed after you finished; your interview and the moment you left the house ?" "It was. a knock-___QHnJiuest-on. This aristocratic-looking young gentleman who had hitherto held himself erect before them notwithstanding the humiliating nature of the inquiries which had been propounded to him, cringed visibly and bowed his head as if a.stroke of vital force had descended upon it. Bringing his fist down on the table neaj which, he stood, he seemed to .utter. a.^niuttgred curse, while, the veina

swelled an his forehead so powerfully that. moro than ono person present dropped their eyes from a spoctaclo which boro so dis tinctly the stamp of guilt. "You have not answered," intimated tho coroner, after a moment of silent wait "Nol' was tho loud reply, Uttcted with a force that startled all present, and made tho moro timid ga/.o with some Apprehen sion at his suddenly antagonistic attitude; "It is not pleasant for a gontloman "—ho emphasized the word bitterly—" for a gentleman to acknowledge himself caught at a timo like this in a decided equivoca tion. But you havo cornered mo fairly and squarely, and I am bound to tell the truth. Gentlemen, I did not leave tho widow's house as immediately as I said. I stayed for fully fivo minutes or so alone in the small hall that loads to the front door. In all probability I was there when the tramp passed by on his way to tho kitchen-door, and thoro when ho came back again." And Mr Hildreth fixed his oyos on the coroner as if ho dared to push him further. But Dr. Tredwell had-been in his present seat bofore. Merely confronting the other with that cold official gaze which seems to act liko a wall of ice between a witness and the coroner, ho said tho two words : " W hat doing?" _ ~ , Tho effect was Satisfactory. Paling sud denly, Mr Hildreth dropped his eyes and replied humbly, though with equal lacomsm, " I was thinking." But scarcely had the words left his lips, than a fresh flame of feel ing started up within him, and looking from juryman to juryman ho passionately exclaimed : " You consider that acknow ledgment suspicious. You wonder why a man should givo a fow minutes to thought after tho conclusion of an interview that terminated all hopo. 1 wonder nt it now myself. I wonder I did not go straight out of the houso and rush headlong into any danger that promised an immediate extinc tion of my life." No language could have moro forcibly be trayed the real desperation of his mind at tho critical moment whon tho widow s lifo hung in the balance. Ho saw this, perhaps, when it was too lato, for tho swoat started on his brow, and he drew himself .up liko a man nerving himself to meet a blow he no longer hoped to avort. Ono further re mark, however, left his lips. "Whatever I did or whatever I was thinking, ono thing I here declare to bo true, and that is, that I did not sco tho widow again after sho left my side and went back to hor kitchen in the rear of tho houso. Tho hand that struck her may havo boon lifted whilo I stood iv tho hall, but if so, I did not know it, nor can I tell you now who it was that killed her." | It was tho first attempt at direct dis- I avowal which he had made, and it had its effect. Tho coroner softened a trifle of his austerity, and tho jurymon glanced at each other relieved. But the weight of suspicion against this young man was too heavy, and his manner had been too unfortunate, for this effect to last long. Glad as many would have beon to credit this denial, If only for tho name be bore and a certain lino aspect of gontlemanhood that surrounded him in spite of his present humiliation, it was no longer possible to do so without question, and ho seemed to feel this and do his best to accept tho situation with patience. An inquiry which was put to lum at this timo by a juryman showed tho ex istent stato of feeling against him. _ "May I ask," that individual dryly in terrogated, "why you camo back to Sibley after having left it ?" . Tho response camo clear and Mil. Evi dently tho gravity of his position had at last awakened tho latent resources of Mr Hildreth's mind. " I hoard of tho death of this woman, and my surprise caused mo to return." " How did you hear of it ?" " Through tho newspapers." "And you were surprised ?" " I was astounded; I felt as if I had re ceived a blow myself, and could not rest till I had come back whero I could learn the full particulars." " So, then, it was curiosity that brought you to the inquest to-day ?' "It was." . The juryman looked at him astonlslied; so did all tho rest. His manner was so changed, his answers so prompt and ring ing. "And what was it," broke in tho coronor, "that led you to register yourself at tho hotel under a false namo ?" " I scarcely know," wob tho answor, given with loss firo and some show of embarrass ment. "Perhaps, I thought that, under the circumstances, it would be hotter for me not to uso my own." "In othor words, you wero afraid? ex claimed the coroner, with tho full impros sivfinds- «f hio --m-who. ..eighty voioo ami manner. It was a word to mako the weakest of mon start. Mr Hildreth, who was con spicuous in his own neighbourhood for per sonal if not for moral courago, flushed till it looked as if the veins would burst on his forehead, but ho made no other reply than a proud and angry look and a short, " I was not aware of fear ; though to be sure I had no premonition of tho treatment I should be called upon to suffor here to day." The flash told; tho coroner eat as if doubt ful, and looked from man to man of the jury ns if ho would question their feelings on this vital subject. Meantime the full shameof his position settled heavier and heavior upon Mr Hildreth ; his head foil slowly forward and ho seemed to be asking himself how ho was to meet the possibly impending ignominy of a direct accusation. Suddenly he drew him self erect, and a gleam shot from his eyes that, for the first time, revealed him as a man of latent pluck and courage. " Gentlemen," he began, looking first at tho coronor and then at tho jury, "you have not said you consider me guilty of this crime, but you evidently harbour tho sus- Eicion. Ido not wonder; my own words aye given me away, and any man would find it difficult to believe in my innocence after what has been testified to in this place. Do not hesitate, then. The shock of finding myself suspected _of a ' horrible murder is passed. lam willing to be arrested. Indeed, after what has here taken place, I not only am willing but even anxious. I want to be tried, if only to prove to the world my complete and entire innocence." The effect of this speech, uttered at a moment so critical, may be easily imagined. All the impressible people present at onco signified their belief in his honesty, and gave him looks of sympathy, if not approval; while the cooler and possibly tne more judicious of his auditors calmly weighed these assertions against the evidence that had been advanced, and finding the result unsatisfactory, shook their heads as if un convinced, and awaited further develop ments. They did not come. The inquiry had reached its climax, and little, if anything, more was left to be said. Mr Hildreth was examined more fully, and some fow of the witnesses who had been heard in the early part of the day wero recalled, but no new facta camo to light, and no fresh inquiries were started. Mr Byrd, who from tho attitude of the coroner could not fail to see Mr Hildroth was looked upon with a suspicion that would ultimately ond in arrest, decided that his interest in tho inquest was nt an end, and being greatly fatigued, gave up his position at the window and quietly stole away. CHAPTER X. THE FINAL TEST. Men are born with two eyeß, but with one tongue, in order that they should see twice as muoh as thoy say. —Colton. The fact was, he wanted to think. Detec tive though he was and accustomed to the bravado with which every sort of criminal will turn to meet their fate when fully driven to bay, there had been something in the final manner of this desperate but evi dently cultured gentleman which had im pressed him against his own will, and made him question whether the suspected man was not rather the victim of a series of ex traordinary circumstances than the selfish and brutal criminal which tho evidence given seemed to suggest. Not that Mr Byrd over allowed his generous heart to blind him to the plain language of facts. His secret and not to be smothered doubts in another direction were proof enough of this; and had it not been for thoso very doubts, the probabilities are that he would have agreed with the cooler headed portion of the crowd, which listened unmoved to that last indignant burst of desperate manhood. But with those doubts still holding pos session of his mind, ho could not feel so sure of Mr Hildreth's guilt; and the struggle that was likely to ensue between his per sonal feelings on the one side and his sense of duty on the other did not promise to be so light as to make it possible for him to re main within eye and earshot of an un sympathetic crowd. " If only the superintendent had not left it to my judgment to interfere," thought he, pacing the streete with ever-increasing uneasiness, "the responsibi'ity would have been shifted from my sheulders, and I would have left the young man to his fate in peace. But now I would be criminally at fault if I wero to let him drift hopelessly to his doom, when by a lift of my linger I might possibly turn the attention of justice towarcf the real culprit.'

Yet tho making up his mind to interfere was a torture to Horace Bytd. If he was not con. .lolls bf tthy love for ImogCne Daro, ho Was suificiontly undof the dominion of her extraordinary fascinations to feel that I any movement on his part toward the un. ravelling of the mystery that enveloped hor | would be like subjecting his own pelf to the rack of public inquiry and suspicion. Nor, though ho walkod the streets for hours, each moment growing more and more settled in his conviction of Mr Hil dreth's innoconce, could he bring himself to tho point of embracing tho duty presented to him till ho had subjected Miss Dare tea new test, and won for himself absolute cer tainty as to the fact of her possessing a clue to the crime which had not been discovered in tho coroner's inquiry. " Tho possibility of innocenco on her part is 6ven greater than on that of Mr Hil droth," ho considered, "and nothing, not oven tlio peril of thoso dearest to me, could justify mo in glutting the weight of sus picion from a guiltless man to nn equally gulltlosswomahi" It was, therefore, for tlie purposo of solving this doubt that be finally sought Mr Ferris, and after learning that Mr Hil dreth was undor surveillance, and would in all probability bo subjected to arrest on tho morrow, asked for somo orrand that would tako bim to Mr Orcutt's house. "I havo a great admiration for that gentleman, and would liko to mako his ac quaintance," ho remarked carelessly, hiding his true purpose under his usual nonchalant tones. " But Ido not want to seem to bo pushing myself forward; so if you could givo mo some papers to carry to him, or somo mossago requiring an introduction to his presence, I should feol very much ob liged." Mr Ferris, who bad no suspicions of his own to assist him in understanding tho motives that led to this request, easily pro vided tho detective with tho errand ho sought. Mr Byrd nt onco started for the lawyer's house. It was fully two inilos away, but onco ar rived thoro, ho was thankful that the walk had boon so long, as tho fatigue, following upon tho activity of tho afternoon, had suc ceeded in quieting his pulses and calming down tho fierce oxcitomont which had hold him undor Its control ovor since he had taken tho determination to sntisfy hit doubts by an interview with Miss Daro. Kinging tho bell of tho rambling old mansion that spread out its wido oxtonsion through tho vines nnd bushes of an old fashioned and most luxuriant garden, he waited the issue with beating heart. A rospoctablo-looklng nogro servant camo tc tho door "Is Mr Orcutt In?" he asked; "or, il not, Miss Dare ? I havo a mossago from Mi Forris, and would be glad to sco ono ol them." This, in ordor to ascertain at a word if th. lady was nt homo. "Miss Dare is not in," was the civil res I ponso, " and Mr Orcutt is vory busily on faged i but if you will stop into tho parloiu will toll him you aro bore." "No," returned tho disappointed dotec tivo, handing hor tho note he held in hii hand. "If your master is busy I will no: disturb him." And, turning away, ho won slowiy down tho steps. "If I only know where she was gono !' ho muttered, bitterly. Bn* he did not consider himsolf in a posi tion to ask. Inwardly chafing over his ill-luck, Ml Byrd proceeded with reluctant paco to ro 1 gain tho street, whon, hearing tho gntosud deniy click, ho looked up, and saw advanc ing toward him a young gentleman of i peculiarly spruce and elegant appearance. "Ha! another visitor for Miss Dare,' was tho detective's natural inference. Ant with a sudden movement he withdrew fron the path, and paused as if to light his ciga: in tho shadow of tho thick bushes that grey against tho house. In an instant tho young stranger was oi tho stoop. Another, and ho had rung tin boll, which was nnswored almost as soon m his hand droppod from tho knob. "Is Miss Dare in?" was tho inquiry uttered in loud and cheery tones. " No, sir. She is spending a fow day with Miss Tremaine," was the clear ant satisfactory reply. "Shall I tell hor yoi havo boen hero ?" " No. I will call myself nt Miss Tre mnino's," rejoined the gentleman. And with a gay swing ot his cane nnd a checrfu look ovorhead, where tho stars woro alroad; becoming visible, ho sauntored easily oil followed by tho onvious thoughts of M Byrd. "Miss Tromnino," repeated the latter musingly. " Who knows Miss Tremaino ? While ho was asking himsolf this quee tion, tlie voico of tho young man ros molodiously in a scrap of old song, and in stantly Mr Byrd recognised in the seominj stranger tho well-known tenor singer of th church ho had himsolf attended tho Sundn; boforo—a gentleman, too, to whom ho hm been introduced by Mr Forris, and witl whom ho hud exchanged something mor than tho passing civilities of the moment. To increaso his paco, overtake tho younj man, recall himself to his attention, nni join him in his quick walk down the street was the work of a moment. Tho nature sequence followed Mr Byrd mado hlmsol so agreeable that by tho time thoy arrive! at Miss Tremnine's the other felt loath t< part with him, and it resulted in his being urged to join this chance acquaintance ii his call. Nothing could have pleased Mr Byrt bottor. So, waiving for onco his instinctiv. objection to any sort of personal intrusion ho signified his acquiesenco to tho proposal and at onco accompanied his new friend int. tho house of the unknown Miss Tremaine Ho found it lit up as for guests. All thi rooms on the ground floor woro open, am in one of them he could discern a dashing urn coquettish young miss holding court ovor i clußter of oager swains. " Ah, I forgot," exclaimed Mr Byrd'i companion, whoso name, by-tho-way, wai Duryea, "It is Miss Tremaine's recoptior night. She is the daughter of ono of thi professors of the High School," he wont on whispering his somewhat late explanation. into the ear of Mr Byrd. "Every Thursda} evening she throws her house opon Joi callers, and the youth of tho academy an only too eager to avail themselves of the opportunity of coming here. Woll, it is all tho better for us. Miss Daro despises boys, and in ail likelihood we shall have her en tirely to ourselves." A quick pang contracted the breast oi Mr Byrd. Ii this easy, almost rakish, fellow at his sido but know the hideout errand which brought him to this houso, what a scene would have ensued I But he had no timo for reflection, or even for that irresistible shrinking from his own dosigns whioh he now began to experionco. Before he realised that ho was fully com mitted to this venture, he found himsolf in the parlour bowing beforo the naive and laughing-eyed Miss Tremaino, who rose to receive him with all tho airy graciousnessof a finished coquette. Miss Dare was not visible, and Mr Byrd was just wondering if he would be called upon to enter into a sustained conversation with his pretty hostess, when a deep, rich voice was heard In the adjoining room, and, looking up, he saw the stately figure he so longed yet dreaded to encounter advancing toward them through tho opon door. She was vory palo, and, to Mr Byrd's oyes, looked thoroughly worn out, if not ill. Yet she bore herself with a steadiness that was evidently the result of her will; and manifested neither reluctance nor im patience whon-the eager Mr Duryea pressed forward with his compliments, though from tho fixedness of her gazo and the im mobility of hor lip, Mr Byrd too truly dis covered that her thoughts wore far away from the scene of mirth and pleasure in which she found herself. " You see I have presumed to follow you, Miss Dare," was the greeting with which Mr Duryea hailed her approaoh. And he immediately became so engrossed with his gallantries he forgot to introduce his com panion. Mr Byrd was rather relieved at this. Ho was not yet ready to Bubmit her to the test he considered neces sary to a proper understanding of the situation ; and he had not the heart to approach her with any mere civility on his tongue while matters of such vital import ance to her happiness, if not to her honour, trembled in the balance. Ho preferred to talk to Miss Tremaine, and this he continued to do till the young fellows at his side, one by one, edged away, leaving no one in that portion of the reom but himself and Miss Tremaine, Mr Duryea and Miss Dare. The latter two stoop together some few feet behind him, and were discussing in a somewhat languid way, the merits of a musicale which they had lately attended. They were approaching, however, and he felt that if he did not speak at once he might not havo another opportunity for doing so during the whole evening. Turn ing, therefore, to Miss Tremaine, with more seriousness than her gay and totally incon sequent conversation had hitherto allowed, he asked, in what ho meant to be a simple colloquial and courteous manner, if she had heard the news. " News," she repeated, "no ; is.thereany news ?" I " Yes, I call it news. But, perhaps, you are not interested in the murder that has lately taken placo in this town 1". "Oh, yes, I am," she exclaimed,? all eagerness at once, while he felt rather than

percolved that the oouplo at his back stpocl suddonly still, as if his words had wonted their spoil over one hoaft thetß flt ioftst " Papa knew Mrs Clemmens very Well," the littlo lady proceeded with a bewitehingly earnest look. "Havo they fodnd tho murderer, tlo. you think? Anything less than that would be ni3 news to hie." " There is every reason to suppose " ho began, and stopped,, something iv tho deadly silenco behind him making it im possible for him to proceed. Happily ho was not obliged to. An interruption oc curred in tho shape of a new-comer, and ho was left with the fatal word on his lips to await tho approach of that severely measured step bohind him, which by this time ho knew was bringing the inscrutable Miss Daro to his siele. "Miss Dare, allow mo to present to you Mr Byrd. Mr Byrd, Miss Daro." Tho young doteotivo bowed. With rigid attontion to tho forms of etiquette, ho uttered the first few acknowledgments necessary to tho occasion, and then glanced ttri. ;•'■:•• Sho was looking him full in tho faco. " We have met before," ho was about to observe, but not detecting tho least sign of recognition in hor gaze, restrained the words and hastily dropped his oyos. "Mr Duryoa informs mo you are a strnngor in tho town," shoroinarkod, moving slowly to ono sitlo in a way to rid herself of that gentleman's too immediate presence. " Havo you a liking for tho place, or do you meditate any lengthy stay?' "No. That is," ho rejoined, somewhat shaken in his theories by tho self-possession of her tone and the caso and (ittiotnoss with which sho evidontly prepared to ontor into a sustained conversation, " I may go away to-morrow, and I may linger on for an in definite length of timo. It all deponds upon certain matters that will bo doterminod for mo to-night. Sibloy is n*_ry pretty placo," lie obsorvod, startlod nt his own temerity in venturing tho last remark. " Yob." Tho word camo as if forced, and sho looked at Mr Duryoa. "Do you wish anything, Miss Daro?" that gentleman euddonly askod. " You do not look woll." , , , "lam not woll," sho acknowlcclgod. " No, thank you," she cried, as ho pushed a chair toward hor. "It is too warm hero. If you do not object, we will go Into the othor room," And with a Courteous glance that Included both gentlemon in its invita tion, sho led the way into tho adjoining apartment. Could It have been with the purpose of ridding hersolf of tho assiduities of Mr Duryoa? Tho room eontaltied half a dozon or moro musical people, and no sooner did thoy porcoivo thoir favourite tonor ap proach than thoy soized upon him and, without listening to his excuses, carried him oil to the piano, leaving Miss Daro alone with Mr Byrd. Sho soemod instantly to forgot hor indis position. Drawing hersoif up till ovory quoonly attribute she possessed flashed brilliantly boforo his eyes, sho askod, with sudden determination, if she had been right in understanding him to say that there was news in regard to tho murdor of Mrs Clom i mons ? Subduing, by a strong inward offort, overy tokon of tho emotion which her own 1 introduction of this topic naturally evoked, he replied in his easiest tones : " Yes ; thero was an inejuest held to-day, and tho authorities evidently think they havo discovered tho poison who killed her." And obliging himsolf to meet half-way tho fate that awaited him, ho bestowed upon tho lady boforo him a casual glance that hid , beneath its easy politeness tho greatest anxioty of his lifo. The test worked well. From tho pallor of sickness, griof, or npprohonsion, hor com plexion whitened to tho deadlier huo of ■ mortal terror. "Impossiblo!" hor lips seemed to breathe; and Mr Byrd could almost fancy he saw tho hair rise on hor forehead. i Cursing in his heart the bitter necessity i that had forced him into this duty, he was about to address her in a May calculated to break tho'.spoll occasioned by his last words, when the ricli and tuneful voice of tho i melodious singer rose suddenly on tho air, [ and they heard the words; I Como rest in this bosom, my own strickon deor. Though tho herd have lied from theo, thy home Is still here ; , , Hero still is the smile that no cloud can o oreast. And a heart and a himd all thy own to thelast. ; Instantly Mr Byrd perceivod that he should not bo obliged to spoak. Though \ tho music, or possibly the words, struck hor liko n blow, it likowiso served to recall hor to herself. Dropping hor gazo, which ', had remained lixod upon lib own, she turned her fuco n.ide, saying with forced coinpoHuroi " This near contact with crimo is drend ' ful." Thon slowly, and with a quiotnese ' that showed how groat was her power of _ solf-control whon sho was not tinder tho in j fluonce of surprise, sho inquired: "Andwho do thoy think this person is ? What name 1 do thoy prcsumo to associate with tho ' murderer of this woman ?" With something of the fooling of a ' surgeon who norvos himself to bury the ' steel in his patient's quivering flesh, he . gave his responso unhesitatingly. 1 "A gentleman's, I boliovo. A young ' man connected with her, in somo strange ' way, by financial interests. A Mr Hil -1 dreth, of Toledo—Gouvornour Hildreth, I ' think they call him." 1 It was not tho name sho expected. He saw this by tho relaxation that took place ' in all her features, by the look of almost 1 painful roliof that flashed for a moment into . the eyes sho flashed liko lightning upon i him. ' " Gouvornour Hildreth I" she repeated. And he knew from tho tone that it was not 1 only a different name from what sho ontici [ pnted, but that it was also a strango ono to ' her. "I never heard of such a person," 1 she wont on after a minute, during whioh the relentless mellow voico of tho uncon -1 scious singer filled the room with the passion -1 ate appeal: Oh, what was lovo mado for If 'tis not the same Through Joy and through sorrow, through glory and shame. "That is not strange," explained Mr Byrd, drawing nonror, as if to escape that pursuing sweetness of incongruous song. "Ho is not known in tblstown. Heonlycame horo the morning the unfortunate woman was murdered. Whothor ho really killed hor or not," ho proceeded with forced quiet ness, "no one can toll, of course. But the facts aro very much against him, and the poor follow is undor arrest." "What?" Tho word was involuntary. So wan tho tono of horrifiod surprise in which it was uttered. But the music, now swolling to a crescendo, drowned both word and tone, or so sho seemed fondly to imagine; for making another effort at self-eontroi, she confined herself to a quiet repetition of his words, " 'Under arrest'?" ond then waited with only a suitablo display ol emotion for whatever further onlightment he chose to givo hor. He mercifully spoke to the point. " Yes, under arrest. You sco he was in tho house at or near the time the deadly blow was struck. He was in the front hall, he says, and nowhere near the woman or her unknown assailant, but there is no evi dence against anyone else, and the facts so far proved show he had an interest in her death, and so he has to pay the ponalty of circumstances. And ho may be guilty, who knows," the young detective pursued, seeing sho was struck with horror and dismay, "dreadful as it is to imagine that a gentleman of culture and breeding could be brought to commit such a deed." But she seemed to have ears for but one phrase of all this. " He was in tho front'hall," she repeated. "How did ho get there? What called'him there?" " He had been visiting the widow, and was on his way out. Ho paused to collect his thoughts, he said. It seems unaccount able, Miss Dare; but the whole thing is strango and very mysterious." She was deaf to his explanations. "Do you supposo he heard the widow scream?" she asked, tremblingly, "or A sinking of the ringing tones whose powerful vibration had made this conversa tion possible caused hor to pause. When the notes grew loud enough again for her to pro ceed, she seemed to have forgotten the ques tion she was about to propound, and simply inquired: "Had he anything to say about what he overheard—or saw? "No. If he spoke the truth and stood in the hall as he said, the sounds, if sounds there were, stopped short of the sitting-room door, for he has nothing to say about them." A change passed over Miss Dare. She dropped her eyes, and an instant's pause followed this kst acknowledgment. " Will you tell me," she inquired, atlast, speaking very slowly, in an attempt to in fuse into her voice no more than a natural tone of interest, " ho w it waa he came to say he stood in that place during the assault ?" " He did not say he stood in that place during the assault," was again the forced rejoinder of' Mr Byrd. "It was by means of a nice calculation of time and events that it was found he must have been in the house at or near the fatal moment." Another pause; another bar of that lovely music. "And he is a gentleman you say?" was her hurried remark at last. "Yes, and a very handsome one." "And they havo put him in prison?" " Yes, or will on the morrow,"

She turned and loaned against s, window frame near by, looking with eyes that saw nothing Into the still vast night, "Isupposo he has frionds, alio faintly suggested. "Two sisters, if no ono nearer and dearer." i Thotjgii hast called mb thy atigoi In niomlintS of) And thv'angel 111 bo 'mid tlie horrors of tills- Through tho furnaoe, unshrloking, thy stops to pursue, . , ~ And shield theo, and savo theo—or perish thoro too. rang the mellow song. "I am not well," sho suddenly cried, leaving the window and turning quickly to ward Mr Byrd. " I am much obliged to you," said sho, lowering hor voico to a whisper, for tho last note of tho song was dying away in a quivering pianissimo. "I have been deeply interested in this tragedy, and am thankful for any informa tion in regard to It. - must now bid you good-evening." i.4 )( And with a stately bow into which sho In fused the Mingled courtesy and haughtlnoes of hor nature; Sib walltofl ■ Stetidlly Uwny through the crowd that vainly sought te stay her, and disappeared, almost without a pause, behind tho door that oponcd into tho hall. _ , ~ , ... Mr Byrd remained for a full half-hour after that, bpt ho never could tell what ho did, or with whom he conversed, or how or when he issued from the houso and mado his way back to his room in the hotel. Ho only knew that at midnight ho was still walking the floor, and had not yet made up his mind to tako tho step which his own sonso of duty now inoxorably domundod. (To be Continued.)

THE FUNERAL OF PRINCE LEOPOLD.

Coromoni.nl at Windsor. (FnoM Ocn Loudon Cohiibsi'ondK-it.) Thk ncoount of tho funeral of the late Duke of Albany fills four or fivo columns of our London dally papers. I'm afraid such a long story (mostly made up of dry detail) would not bo read in your part of the world, so I have abbreviated, it considerably with out omitting any incidont of real interest. St Goorgo's Chapel at Windsor, whore tho Duko of Albany has been interred, is one of tho architectural sights of the kingdom. Constantly added to, and as frequently im proved, it ombrfttios Ih itself the architec ture Of the did world and the decorative splenddttr bf the new. TH6 rifcli tind florid ceilings, tho roof in beautiful tracory, adornod with tho blazon of dead and gone Knights of the Garter, and the " Rose on Soleil," which is tho well-known cognisance of tho Sun of York ; tho banners and appen dages of living and doad Knights of tho Gartor; the raagnificont east window, dedi cated to the memory of Prince Albort, do sigriod by Sir Gilbert Scott, and executed by Messrs Clayton arid 8011, thdt super seded Sir Benjamin West's Resurrection window ; tho alabaster rorodos, a supurb spocimen of modern work ; tho carved rep resentations of tho attempted assassination of Goorge 111. by Margaret Nicholson, and of tho thanksgiving ceremonies of tho same monarch at St. Paul's in 1789, the carved crocketings and finials of tho oak stalls of the Knights, tho richness, the luxury, and the subdued colour must bo familiar to an tiquaries and to sight-scors aliko. At ton o'clock in the morning of the funeral St. Goorgo's Chapel had undergone a wonderful transformation. It had scemod good to tho authorities to subduo, whorc over it was possible, the power of tho domi nant colour. Nothing could shut out tho sunlight that streamed through the painted windows of the choir, and played on tho silken banners of the Knight* of tho Garter, nothing could subdue tho richness of effect produced by fine decorative work and ancient carving; but the order had gone forth to drape St. George's Chapel, not in purple or in vlolot, but in solemn funoroal black. The nave now iv courso of repair was mado into a dark avonuo, occosionrily relieved with white decoration ; tho floor of tho choir was black, tho seats wero cush ioned with black, and tho upholsterer hail introduced snblo wherevor ho con veniently aould. At tho head of tho stalls, close by the chancel stops, wns placed a black-bier that over-covered a vault-shaped ontranco te tho depths of the catacombs below. So much up to ten o'clock had been dono. Tho pall over the coffin wns to bo as it was at Portsmouth, tlio bright red, white, and blue of tho Union Jack worked in silk : tho coffin itself was polished oak adorned with gloaming brass, the flowers that covered it wore of the colour that nature in spring-timo loves best; whilo the uniforms of tho mourners had nothing funereal about thorn. Tho clock bad scarcoly struck ton beforo the first attempt was mado to lighten and brighten tho silent and mournful chapel. Tho Duchoss of Albany had visited for the last timo the coffin of her beloved husband. Tho military watchers had beon relieved from thoir midnight care, and the officials of the Lord Chamberlain's Office proeooded to take ovor the chargo of the St. Goorgo's Chapel and its adjuncts. To the Dean of Windsor and tho members of his family was appointed the task of arranging the flowers and the palm branches that bad arrived in profusion for the decora tion of the chapel. As it was the eve of Palm Sunday, the great green bronchos wero ap propriate, fresh out as thoy wore from the conservatories in Kew Gardens; and so they woro placed in convenient niches on the altar, half shading and covering some times the gorgoous carved nnd docorative work of the alabaster rorodos. Funoreal wreaths and crosses aro usually piled up in olosoproximitytothecoffin.andarodcdicated as it were to tho aotual entombment; but on this occaaion tho flowers had nrrivod in such profusion from all quarters that the Doan of Windsor and his kindly assistants thought it well to strew them about tho chancel, at the base of tho altar, and along overy available space on tho altar stepß. At evory convenient corner and at every avail ablo nicho a memorial wreath or cross was placed with its ribbons, dedicatory prayers, and attached cards. They had como from every imaginable and conceivable quarter, from every individual inomber of the Royal Family, from the fair bridesmaids of the be reaved Duchess; from loyal French societies, who sent gigantic wreaths of the Republican trioolour; from the faithful Soaforth High landers, whe mourned their departed colonel; from the Dean and Canons of Windsor; from the learned, literary, and philanthropic societies in which tho Duke of Albany was interested—from every one who could claim kinship or acquaintance with the departed Prince. So, in order to utilise the floral offerings, the altar rails of the choir of St. George's Chapel enclosed a bed of choico and beautiful flowers—arums and lilies, gardina and stephanotis, eucharis and violets, geraniums nnd hya ointh, daffodil and primrose, the rarest flowers and tho simplest, till the chapel was redolent of sweet, perfumo. This work of decoration and arranging was carrled'out quietly and simply enough, nnd with some ready art and Skill, such as are found when any church has to bo extemporaneously adorned. Little mote could be done in this instance than to prop the crosses and wreaths against the communion table and the com munion rails, and to fill every available space and corner with flowers, Tho labour of lovo had scarcoly been completed beforo the first of the invited guests began to arrive, and for an hour at least the officials of the Lord Chamberlain's department were employed in showing tho guests to their appointed scats, though it was noticed that the various Knights of the Garter did not necessarily secure the Btalls that properly belonged to them. For the Queen and tho Royal Prin cesses had been reserved certain simple chairs at the end of the stalls on the north side of tho chapel, close by the door leading to the Albert Memorial Chapel. It was thoueht at first that her Majesty would occupy the Queen's closet over the Queontin Matsys iron gates, from which she saw the marriages of the Prince of Wales and of the Princess Louise, Marchioness of Lome, but those who where privileged to view the chapel before the ceremony began saw that the Queen had elected to sit close by the bier that awaited the reception of the young Prince's .offin. Thofirst procession to como up the aisle was that of the clergy, all robed, headed by the Very Rev. Randall T. David son, Dean of Windsor, who, by request of her Majesty, was to read, and not intone, tlie beautiful office for the dead, which is one of the most striking passages of the English liturgy. As yet there were no signs of the Queen. The chapel, as seen from a coign of vantage close by the organ, did not iook half full; but suddenly there broke upon the ear far away in the distance a low wail of music which warned all who were as sembled that the funeral procession was on its way to the burying-place of kings and princes. Inexpressibly sad and Infinitely tender was that dtßtant music. We could sco in fancy, as we listened, the mournful advance of the bearers of tho dead Prince, and the brilliant retinue that waits on death. What music was it so striking in prelude and so ex quisitely sympathetic in melody? What j were those melodious strains that were borne through wide open doors to the very 1 gates of the expectant tomb 1 It was the { " Marche Funebre" of Chopin, played by ' the band of the Coldstream Guards, which

fell on the ears of all who Wore anxiotfsly waiting in the ohapel. Scarcely had tho wolrd prelude to tho march been succeeded by tho oxquisita melody, when all attention was fixed and nil oars llstot-intf, nnd sua donly thoro was a rustle nt tlio entrance to tho chapel at tho north nislo, Mid thfln a hurried whiapor, "ThoQuoon I PrwseWtl by tho __nrl ol Ktlnitmi'o, Lord Chamliorlain, with his wjiito trmid of iilli.'o and with his Official white shoulder knots, and by Lord Sfdnoy, l-lij ._ Steward of hot Majesty s Household, tlWro ontcrod quietly soveral ladiesveilotl ami nltlrcd in deepest mourning. Hor Majesty was easily rocognlsod by nor white weeper cuffs which alono roliovod her mourning ilrixw, but it was impossible to distinguish their ttoynl Highnesses the Princess of Wales, tlio I'rinooss Christian of Schleswig TlolHteln, the Princess Loiiiso (Marchioness of LornO), tho Princess Boa trice, tho Grand Duchess of Mocklonburg- Btrolitz. or tho I'lincoss Frodorica of Han oVol', all of whom woro present and con ducted to thoir chairs by the Lord Chambor- Falntof and fltliit.ii' became tho music In tlio -listx-tico, add nearer -tnd nonror onmo tho sad profic(.s.on; Thoso could hear distinctly who stood by tb'O orga.. the steady tramp of the military boaters seloctod from tho most stalwart mon of tlio Scafortli Htghlandors. Ine oi'iMH tnnslo softly coming to an ond, was Biicceeded by tho clctii' rttltl telling voice of tho Donii of Windsor, who, in tlio _«l fanco of tho sad mourners, declaimed tho sen tence., "lain tho resurrection and tho lifo, Hiiith tho Lord;" "I know that my Bodeemer liveth," and "Wo brought nothing into this world, and it Is cortnln wo can carry nothing out," Tho procession has meanwhile advanced to tlio very contra of tlio splendid choir—lirst tho officiating doan, noxt tho servants and household ef the' departed Diil.6, -ben tho coilln covored with its brilliant pall and borne by tho gallant Highlanders in their tartan uniform j lastly tho dis tinguished mourners, headed by His Koyal Highness the Prince of Wales, his lm lieil-il Highness tho Crown Prince of Ger many, his Royal Highness the Grand Duke of Ilesso, His Royal Highness tho Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein. DiteCtiy the coffin had been carriod to tho bier, in tho centre of the oholr. oc curred porhaps tho most striking incident in tho pathetic coremony. Military bands and {.o-tlinif Organs, the voices of white robod clergymen, and the sob. of mourners aro common to many funerals, but It is tare ind.ed to hear in St. Gcorgo's Chapel, in I the intervals betweon the song of praiso and tlio prayer of priest, tho voico of tho officer I in Command giving directions to the soldiers who So fui tllfUl.V oboyed him. Ad mirably; i-idbed, and with befitting solem nity, did this particttlar officer of the Sea forth Highlanders tako thi lead p iri this incident of tho ceremonial. The musio had censed, tho voico of tho Dean was silent, rind thon was hoard tho directing voico of the officer in command as ho bade his men lowor doccntly thoir sad chargo and burden. Ho did moro than order; Ho personally assisted, and, kneeling down, tho command ing officor adjusted the coffin to. the bior, which sank slowly out of sight, leaving tho floor of tlie choir and tho entranco to the vault carpeted as it wero with tho covering Union Jack, and strewn with tho last of the momorlal flowers. Beforo the coffin had beon lowered from the choir it was mado the resting place of tho coronet and insignia of tho dcail Duke, borno by his old and faithful friends, Mr R. H. Collins, C.8., and Major Waller, R.E., members of tho Household of the Duke of Albany, and, the mourners having grouped themselves about i the ontrance to tho vault, the burial service ; proceeded. Let us try to picture the scene. | Tho Dean of Windsor, tho Canons and Minor Canons, are within the altar rails, j tho Dean in tho immediate centre, all in thoir white surplicos. Immediately in front of them, on tho lowest step of tho chancel, are tho Lord Chamber lain and the Lord Steward in uniform and with wands of office, facing tho mourners in tho centre of the choir. On tho north sido sits her Majesty the Queen, in the middle of a group of Princesses in the deepest mourning, whilst over against them stand the Seaforth Highlanders and thcGarter-Ifiiig-at-Arms. Appointed places | arc given to the pall-boarers and to the servants and household on cither side of ' the bier, whilst the whole floor of tho choir I is filled with mourners, headed by bis Koyal Highness tho Prince of Wales, who stands bowed down with grief at tho head of the coffin. The service, so far arrested by tho mili tary incident and tho mournful words of command, is taken up again by the choir, who begin the grand old hymn, " O God, our help in ages past," to tho well-known tune called St. Anno's. It is followed by the declamation, not intonation, of the pathetic :19th Psalm, "I said I will take heed to my ways, that I offend not in my tongue," and" by tho reading of the Funeral Lesson, the 15th chapter of Corin thians. A happy interval of music next occurs. It is tho singing of tho anthem, Spohr's " Blest aro tho Departed," and fow in the chapel can restrain their tears as organ and voices join in exquisite harmony, and fill tho brilliant chapel with waves of melody. The servico is continued by the Doan, still standing on the highest altar step commanding this sad but impressivo scene; . first, the sentences usually spokon at tho grave whilst the corpso is made ready for Uio earth, " Man that is born of a woman hath but a short time to live, and is full of misery," until the moment, in tho subsequent prayer, whon a hand ful of earth is thrown upon the de parting coffin, "Forasmuch as it hath pleased Almighty God of His great mercy to take to Himself the soul of our dear brother hero departed, wo therefore commit his body to tho ground, earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust, insure and certain hopo of the resurrection to eternal life." It fell to the lot of Mr Walter Camp boll, one of the pall-bearers, and the most intimate friend of the Duke of Albany, to Eerform this last act in the sad ceremony, distinctly could be heard during the touch ing pauso of silence the earth and the ', stones rattling against the sides of tho ooffin half lowered to Its resting place. ; But the effort of devotion proved too much for tho young friend, and he fairly broke down, covering his streaming eyes : with his handkerchief, and perfectly pros trated with grief. Tho appointed collects were followed by the comforting benedic tion, and then once moro the choristers broke in with their singing of the conclud ■ ing hymn, one of tho most beautiful modern : religious lyrics in tho English language. It was tho hymn called ".Lead, kindly light," which was written by Cardinal Newman on the eve of his departure from tho English Church, and which contains sentiments singularly in accordance with tho feelings of all who were present, and mourned not only a Prince but nn affectionate friend. None could have listened unmoved to such words as these uttered by tlio surpliced choir and sung to tho well-known tune from "Hymns Ancient and Modern," and none could havo failed to sco thoir peculiar significance on the present occasion : So long Thy nowor hath blessed mo, sure it still Will lead mo on O'er moor and fen, o'er crap and torrent till Tho nip-lit is gone ; And with the morn those angels' faces smile Whioh I havo loved long since and lost awhile. j Amen. ! During tho singing of the last verso of this exquisite hymn hor Majesty and the attendant Princesses silently went out, and they were gone when the last notes of tho melody died away and the religious part of tho service was at an end.

A Singular Play.

A distinguished compliment was paid to , tho shade of Richard Brinsloy Sheridan a short time ago, when "The School for Scandal" was rendered at the Manor Rooms, Hackney, by deaf and dumb performers. Tho attempt was ambitious, but it is not without precedent. Some years ago a stage play was given in an institution off Oxford street by mutes, the plot and dialogue being interpreted by tho motions of lips and hands and facial gestures; but tho author in that instance was deaf and dumb him self, and may bo supposed to have known exactly what was suited to tho capacity of his fellow sufferers. There Is no lack of what actors call " business " in Sheridan's masterpiece ; but its great charm lies in the brilliancy of tho language It is hard to conceive how due point could be imparted to an epigram by the fingers and thumbs, howdoxterous soever. Lady Teazle with out a voice is nn anomaly ; no amount of labial facility can endow tho sentiments of Joseph Surface with the proper unction ; and it is altogether too extravagant a de mand on good nature to imagine a speech less gentleman singing— '■Here's to the maiden of bashful fifteen." A pantomime of the same kind, such as the ballets d'aclion, still popular in Milan, would have beon more in the lino of these histrions; but it is, apparently, an irre pressible characteristic of the amateur mind that it must be aspiring. Yet, after all, that " The School for Scandal " should have been acted by natives in a native tongue in Hindustan, and by a deaf and dumb company in ' London in 1884, is a great and indisputable testimony to the genius of the writer, and the value of his work.—"Standard.'

THE LONSDALE SLANDER CASE.

_.mprlßom__e__£ of tbiW-ktw 6f the "World. -Chief Justice doleriagft' oto Swclety Journals. [MIOM OUR LONDON CORR-SrONDBNT.] London, April 4. Next to tho death of tho Duko of Albany, th« great topic of conversation in society during this last day or two has been tho extraordinarily severe arid excessive sen tence passed by Lord Chief Justice Colcrldgo on Mr Edmund Yates, the editor of the " World," for libelling tho Earl of I_oi.s_._f_e.- Tho circumstances connected with the slatf-' dor woro duly detailed to y6u when tho prosecution was first commenced, but as that is more t'_an a year flgd, ft may be as woll to briefly recapitulate them. , On January 17th, 1883, there appeared in tlio "World" a paragraph contributed by Ludy Stratheden in which it was hinted that n certain well-known peer, a master ot foxhounds, encumtiered with an ailing wile, hod recoiitly doped from the Jiitntlng-neld accompanied by a young lady. Thmtgb Mr Yates wns unfit, aro Cf the fact, the pattf i/rnnli wan so worded that It could only be rend" as roforri..L' to Lord Lonsdalo ', in fact, due "ly the latter saw It he instructed.Ws so i 'iters to commence criminal proceedings n™,the -World." Ir, the ord nary course of things the trial would ha' - taken place an the Central Criminal ( ourt, but the matter was removed to tho Queen's Bench cm fl writ of certiorari granted to tho defendant. i There a demurrer was raised that the criminal Information was bad, on the grodnd that the lint of the Public Prose cutor hrid riot been first obtalned ; On this, I judgment was given for the Grown, one .Judgo out of throe ___88e__-iftg, «*nd by that decision tho defendant was technically con victed of the charge preferred against him. Accordingly, It only remained for tho Court to pass judgment. Mr Yates nat beside his solicitor at a table In tho body of tho Queen's Bench, ttnd a crowd of actors, artists, authors, and Utter atcurs overflowed from tho Strangers Gal lery into ovory nook and cranny. Most people anticipated tho sentence would be ecvoro, for Lord Chief Justice Coleridge has always beon known as ono of the bitterest eptjoncnts of "society" journals. More over, the loot of his own venerated name having bcCtt irfflVMently coupled with that of Miss Mary Andcrt-Ofi (who it was said had declined the honour of his hand w'marriage) In tho "Pall Mall Gazette" and other Jour nals within the week,would not, people felt, mako him any tho kindlier. When trying fl ease against " Truth' some timo ago', his Lotdship told Mr Labouchere (hut he would rather -tarve or sweep a gutter than mako £5,000 fl year, as he did, out of it " Society " journal, ha dontrt Mr Yates, like many ether people,- remem bered this observation', and *_« prepared, when called upon, to stand Up and be sen tenced for a vory itiaumis quart fhcvi-Ci O"n.00-_ers were, however, paralysed by the bitter, scath.ft'g -.enunciation which, in the sternest, solemnest voice"; the Chief Justice delivered. Graver and graver gte* every body's faces, and when in the most delitJer ato tones His Lordship culminated his address by sentencing an honoured and distinguished journalist to tho disgrace of _dlir months' imprispnmetit, a very general feeling of «ndignation super vened. Thanks to tho efforts Of Mr Russell (Yates's counsel), sentence was respited for a day or two, and in the meanwhile efforts will bo made to get a fine substituted for Imprisonment. The idea of locking up the veteran novelist and flaneur, -who for ten years has e'en-ducted tho "World" abso lutely blamelessly; seems indeed simply monstrous. I am v'ety far frota defending the libel against Lord Lonsdale, and quite think that a heavy fine should be inflicted, but between a money penalty and imprisonment there is surely a " great gulf fixed." I will now quote Lord Coleridge's observa tions, which are likely to be used in all cases against " society" journals to the end of time. It should, however, be borne in mind that though a great lawyer, the Chief Justice is notoriously bigoted, Calvinistic, and intolerant. Ho abhors trivialities, and would do away with three parts of the pleasures and amusements that make life worth living. "This," said Lord Coleridge, delivering judgment, "is certainly not the time or the place for delivering a heavy discourse upon the subject of the liberty of the press, nor is it in the least degree happily necessary. No ono who breathes tho English air, or who has ever had his heart touched or his judgment moved by tho " Areopagitica " of Milton, will doubt that the free press of this country has been upon the whole an unspeakable blessing, or will desire in any degree to narrow its lawful growth or im pede in any manner its lawful exercise. Publio affairs, public men— using the ex pression of public men in its largest possible sense —literature, art, science, religion-r-the catalogue might be indefinitely extended— these things are thelawful topicsof the press; andof these things thediscussionis.andl hope always will be, practically absolutely unfettered. But when we come to private matters very different considerations ob viously at once arise. Public men, in Eng land at least, must submit to public com ment as one of the necessary incidents of their career. But private men, indeed all men, whether public or private, in their private relations, are entitled to have their privacy respected. Why should we have our lives pried into, our movements watched, our dress recorded, our company catalogued, our most private relations dragged into the light of day—not for any conceivable good to the great English peoplo, but only to gratify the foolish vanity or the abject curiosity of a small minority of a privileged class? I find it difficult to believe that any man's mind can find pleasure in feeding upon the sort of food with which the columns of this paper now before me are filled. And I can hardly believe that any educated and able gentle man could feel anything but humiliation and self-contempt in having to supply such food. We have, therefore, to deal with a gross personal libel in a paper which lives upon the publication of the most utterly attenuated personalities. It is not the case of a paper of high aims and real public use fulness committing a breach of the law in consistent with its general conduct and general policy. Wo have to deal with a personal libel, occurring in the midst of pages which aro indeed not libellous, but which aro made up of personalities so trivial that prior to experience one would suppose they could not possibly interest for a single moment, in the faintest degree, any human being. More than this, it seems by the defendant's affidavit that at least one lady of high rank caters, and is paid for catering, to this paper by supplying this fiersonal gossip at a fixed price. This ady of high rank is paid, it seems, two guineas. The proprietor of the paper makes no inquiry, and the slander appears for the gratification, I suppose, of the readers of the "World." The defendant appears to think this makes his caso better. To me and to my colleagues it seems to mako it worse. To open a sort of lion's mouth, into which all the personal gossip of that which is pleased to call itself society is to bo shot anonymously at the rate of two guineas a personality, and to take no trouble even to inquire into tho truth of what is so shot in, seems a system perfeotly certain to lead, as it does lead, to the manipulation of cruel slanders, and of stories tending to tho discomfort and un happlness of thoso who are the subjects of them. It has been often said that it is the publisher, and not the inventor of tho scandal, who does the real mischief. The defendant, to my mind, adds to, rather than takes away from, his responsibility by the course which he states he has pur sued. But, moro than this, the defendant has stated that ho had no idea that this paragraph, into the truth of which he was not at the pains to inquire, applied to the prosecutor, Lord Lonsdale. He has not stated to whom he believed it did apply; he has not Btated that he believed it to apply te any human creature ; so that he shot a bolt at a venture, at a chance passer-by, whom he had never seen, of whom he had never heard, whom ho did not know, and took the chance whether it wounded him cruelly or not. Now, what is to be done ? It is a_ libel unprovoked, unju .tified, pub lished in a paper which lives on personality and pays for its manufacture. The sentences of courts of justice should, if possible, be an expression of the intelligent opinion of the public, whom in a certain sense thoy re present ; and over severity takes the shape very often, or appears to take the shape, of personal vengeance— seems to be the outcome of anger rather than of judgment, and creates re-action, and properly creates, in favour of tho over-puuished victim. It it therefore very desirable that We should do nothing which may seem excessive. We have hesitated whether we should inflict a fine. But a fine to a person conducting a : successful paper, with a large circulation, is a matter of indifference. It is right, therefore, that his liberty should be inter fered with. But his liberty must be inter fered with, to no unreasonable, harsh, or cruel extent. The sentence of the Court I upon the defendant is that he be imprisoned 1 ftefparmMtthfJ .....-,'

THE AUCKLAND EVENING STAR, -_ATUKDA^ MAY, 81, 1884.



Land and Estate Agents. D. F. E v a n B , KSTATE, HOUSE. AND LAND AGENT, AUCTIONEER, &c. mo CAPITALISTS AND OTHERS. FIRST-CLASS INVESTMENT IN THIS CITY FOR SALE. AU that Valuable and Centrally Situated Pro* pert",consisting ot FREEHOLD ALLOTMENT, together with Commodious Double Shop, Store room, and 5 Rooms upstairs, built of brick or. Btonc foundation, iii first-class position, and well adapted for Solicitor's Chambers, being situated in Sho-tlai-il-strcet, near those handsome and extensile now premises in courso of construe tionfor the Evenino Star; and also near the P'ttet-office, banks, and those magnificent now block ot buildings (tlie Arcade) now oi-out to be erected for tho New Zealand Insurance Cpm- This is a real flrst-class investment, and well worthy the attention of capitalists, i is, with; effl doubt, tho most valuable and safost invest ment fICW in the Market, With undeniable pros pective value, eceond to none in Auckland. * _357> AUCKLAND-Valuablo Bu_ines» Site for sale. Situate in Shortland-street, corner of Mills Lane, and immediately between the pre mises of Messrs A. Clark and Sons and AByoroft and Co. Terms easy. AVONDaI.E-'-SS acreß splendid land, mostly In gn.sn; a largo portion in orchard. »na shelter trees; good creek. &5V BABYLON-A very nice little Farm of 10* acres; new house of 7 rooms, cowshed, stockyard, pigsty, &c.; 2 go9il grass pad docks. The land mi this farm is really good,. and can confidently be recommended as a very desirable little homestead. (1050) KOMIL. Y—s9l acres improved farm Land very cheap. Only £30 cash, and £70 can remain for 5 years.- <9:8! CHURCH-STREET- Villa Residence of 5 rooms, fitted with cupboards, dresser register grate, oven, &c; good well and tank, well-stocked garden. Price. £380. ,„ t 729,A COLLEGE ROAD-Good Buildinfe' Allotment In a Splendid Position for Business, being aa tho main western outlet from the city. (1136). DAIRY I'LAT—2SS acres good Land, part vol canic, hush, nico homestead of 4 roonje. Prico. 22-. 6d per acre; a bargain. (97ii) DRA-iE-STRKET-Shop and Dwelling-house, freehold allotment; a bargain. Only £250. (1156) EAST TAMAKI—Nice Little Farm of 54 acres; (food grasß; plenty of water -, valuablo hush; good alluvial soil; £350- , _ „ ' 11W> ELLBRSLIE-llt acres Volcanic Soil; good road frontage, near Racecourse. (95»> _ ELLERSLIE (on Psnmuro Road) — Freehold Building Allotment, ornamental trees, beautiful situation for building, main road Land 399x198 feet. £400. (10(0* KPBOM— v llla Bwi-leece and Qrounoe Also, i-plcndid Building Allotments, near resi dence of E Hesketh. Esa. 07» EPSOM—Desirable Property, House 6 rooms, &c. &c, and 5 acres First-claas Volcanic Land ; very choice. Price, only £1.500. i Terms easy. (Wwl EPSOM—Gentleman's Residence ..nd Grounds, This) is the property of a Gi ntleman Who has spared neither time nor n. ney, not only in beautifying the Grounds, hut m furnish in„ --~,. r> r,-"- possible com -1.5. ,i"j ..,, -....,..... :mdnecessary _ut-_.iUdii.gs. &C && Cards to view from tho undersigned. U«°> ITERNLEIGH-3TREET-3 Verandah Cottage* of a X and 5 rooms respectively. In good order. City water laid in. Price, 'or the three. -500. A good investment. (1102) FRANKLIN EOAD-Two Good Villa Resi dences, almost new-one of 6roomß and the nlher #f 5: gas and water. Allotments _3 x ISO cacti} magnificent view of harbour. Price only £I._TO. H GEORGE AND WILLIAM STREETS, PON SONBY-BHck Houso of four rooms and I scullery, outhouse, &c; allotment, 33 x 133; GLEN_i'ul.N, PONSONBY—Throe magnificent Sites fof Marino Villa Rcs.dcnccs Price for the three, <VBO. Superb view of Queen street Wharf, North Shore ana Harbour ORE VT NORTH ROAD-About 8 miles from Auckland-" »«" «n(J well-fioWied House - or 6 rooms, ttahlo. ..c. and 3anres splen^d Isnd. in cultivation: bounded by a grand btream of water; more laud if lequired HOBSON-STREET— First-class Building Sites, i HO WICK-Good Cottage of 8 rooms and 2 acres land weU fenced. Good well. Pnc* £200. TNKERMANN-STREET - New Cottago of 5 rooms in a good position, close to Freeman's Bay. Only £330. , _ ~..- ,„„, JOHN-STREfcT - First-class^ Building Allet ment, quite level, and good view. Prlee,3Wl ncr foot. ilwi- KEPPEL-STREET-Large AUotment, double frontage; cheap; only £70. LINCOLN-S'i'REET-Splendid Building Allot ment l-ieu1 MAN G ERE-_Mcndid littlo Dairy Farm; grand position; 10 Acres firat-clafs Volcanio Land; Residence and Out-buildmgs: ttSjoO. MELFORD-STREET-Two good Villa Sites, each 50x150. Price, 50s and 6Ss per foot MONTAGUE-STREET. NEWTON-New Six ,-oomed Verandah Cottage, fl-torf with register grates, colonial oven, cupboards, MOUNT EDEN (Main Road)-Desirahle Villi Residence, 6 rooms, &c.; good position, £<KIS (HUB) MOUNT ROSKILL ROAD -Villa Residence (6 rooms', bath, range and shed. foOO. aui) NAPIER-STREKT-Good House of o rooms, allotment 30 x 100. Price, only £300. (11-o) NELSONS' REKT, CITY.-a very mcc and commodious Hou.-o of 8 rooms, having a strand view of harbour Price. _-65<l l'J7») NEW MARKET.-New-street: New Verandah House of 5 rooms; good well, tank. &o pice garden; allotment 48 x 120. Price only £350. ®15) NEWTON (near Ponsonby Reservoir). —Two Houses (5 and 1 roomB), corner allotment; £500 for the lot. , ( )W ___. NORFOLK-STREET — Several good Building HCHA'lotments at from £210s per foot. (USO) OSEHUNGA.-Cottage and AUotment free hold) fiSo. , * 112"' ONEHUNGA-Grand Villa Sites, rangingfrom 3 to 8 acres; magnificent news; close to Pah Estate. , „ Ill*3' PARK ROAD-Good House of 7 rooms, pleas antly situated; splendid view; large allot ment Price £650. , < ll2l> PARNELL-Several cheap properties. PENROSE—Volcanic Land for sale in lots ol four aores or more. Situato next to the sto, tion; main road frontage. £50 per acre. This 1b desirable land, and very cheap. (lir_T POKKNO 189 acres Voloanio Laud, nearly all level; 26 aoree cleared an n In good grasp and fenced" Price ' 2 per acre; a barnain. (91) PO'^CENO-Nice Little Farm of 21 aores in crops, grass, &c; goon' five-roomed Cottage and outhouses, which, with 4 cows, dairy utensila. &o„ &c, Is now offered for £300; situate lust at Pokeno Station. (803) POMPALIERTERRAOE-First-olassßullding Allotments. 45 x 100. Price. £310s per foot PONSONBY—Splendid Villa Site in Curran-st Well situated, grand view. (1131) RAZORBACK-_8 Acres Good Land. 28 aoies to grass; Cottage of three rooms, oow-shed, piggery. Seo.: never-failing Bupply of water. Pflle. only £250. _V&, RICHMOND ROAD — Two nicely-flnlshed Houses of 6 rooms each, fitted with every convenience. Lot woll. Prico, for the two, £700; or would be sold separately. (11(13) RICHMOND ROAD—2 good BuUding AUot nients; quite level; 40x99 each; good view. Must be sold. (1046 RING TERRACE, Glenburn, noar the Beach, Ponsonby—Flrst-class Villa Silo, grand view of Auckland Harbour, 116 x 100. ,1085> RYLE-STREET—Pretty Verandah VUla of 5 rooms, &c.; allotmont 66 x 120; a very desirable residence. (1039 ; SALE-STREET — Nico Little Cottage of i rooms; corner allotment; very choap; only £210. A, l lW>, STUART-STREET (off Grace-street). — Good Building Allotment for A-'O. (1161) SUMMER-STREET, Ponsonby—Nice Villa of 6 rooms and good freehold allotmont, £300. (1166) TAMAKI EAST—Snug little Farm of 60 acres. Good House of 5 rooms, and usual out buildings; all now; stock, &c. Price, only £480. (1090) TE PAPA—4B acres good arable Land. Prioe ■ only 15s per acre. (1107) VIEW AVENUE, MOUNT EDEN-New Villa Residenco of 5 rooms, and outbuUd ings; scoria soil, and good position. Only ; £320. (1097) VIIW ROAO AND THE TERRACE. MOUNT jtiDEV—A First class Residence of 7rooms. complete wilh every convenience; well laid out grounds about l aero : fruit and flower Burden. Magnificent view (945) WAlPU—Grand Farm of 260 lucres—tho very best in the district; good house and out buildings ; to bo sold vory cheap. (lU6) .WALLACE-STREET (noxt Tramway Termi nus).— First-class Villa Site; grand position J splendid view; 80 x 170. (1172) WAUB-W'RTH-Old Established Boarding homo Business for sale. First-class oppor tunity to sccti'O a really good paying con cern. Prico oply £500. WHANGAREI—I2I acres Improved Land J Bmtill piece kauri bUBh; Lot 51, Tauraroa. (951) WH '>'GARHI-Improved Firm of 143 acres at Mangapai; i-i acre in wrra,-s, and Sln orchard: dwcUing hoii.c. Cheap, £6' 0. (984) WHANG ' R"I HKAD'-Paruaßny -ftlacres, part in grass and kauri; homestead farm; good road. Piice. £22 (96 1 WHATA WHATA - Waipa River - Beautiful Homestead of 200 Acres; house, stables, Bheds, and outhouses ; splendid cherry grovo: Bteamer stops at landing four times a week; plenty of wood and water; good run for cattle. ■ (1055) D. F. EVANS, HOUSE, LAND, AND ESTATE AGENT,' ! ' AUCTIONEER, &c. Land Mart-Queen-stheet, next Bank OF Australasia. Hotels. SETTLERS HOTEL, WALTONj STREET, WHANGAREL MRS S. H. FULLER, PropbcetbesS. This- Old-established' Hostelry occupies the Most Central Position of any House in Whan garei, being within 2 minutes' walk from either Railway Station, Wharf, or Post-offlce,;posses_- Ing Excellent Accommodation for Vlsltora and Tourists. NONE BUT FIRST-CLASS BRANDS OF WINES AND SPIRITS KEPT. MACNAB AND HANCOCK'S SPARKLING ALES ON DRAUGHT. _ _ r BRILLIANTLY-LIGHTED B- I L L I A R D- It O O M GOOD STABLING. EVERY CIVILITYA-Tnd ATTENTION PAID TO VISITORS. ORDINARY HATLY AT ONE O'CLOGK. The Cuisine is umH-r lit,- !'.r.nr,:ti Superi_l« tendcncoi.f i,,i !!• ..tei._ 11.i-self. . TERIIS MODEItATB, A ; .-