not having searched him with my own fam- "If there be any gaol fees undischarged, I am ready to pay them for the poor boy," said Goldingham; not thoroughly understanding this effusion of slang. "And then to sham Abram!" continued the enraged gaoler, without noticing his observation, "and to get himself removed to the 'Firmary, which is no stronger than the cock-loft of a bouzing-ken. Curse him! if I could once come within reach of his quarrons, I warrant I'd spoil him for breaking a second time out of the stone pound." "What? what? what ?" inquired Isaac, drawing the spectacles from his nose, and bringing his staring eyes close to the gaoler's face; "do you mean to say that he has escaped— broken prison-got away—given you the slipshown you a light pair of heels-hey, how, what ?" "'Swounds and snails! don't bring your long nose so close to my mouth, for if I give a snap at it, I promise you I shall hold it faster than I did yonder runaway crank. He must have had plenty of chinkers, or he never could have bribed any one to bring him the rope. A murrain seize them all! A shorter rope shall serve his turn another time, I'll engage. However, we shall nab the young shake-shanks still, and if he again shows us leg-bail, may the Devil rock me to sleep in a hempen cradle ?" In answer to the inquiries of his visitant, the gaoler detailed to him, but not without many interjectional execrations and vows of vengeance, the whole plan of Reuben's escape, admitting that nothing had been heard of him since he left the prison; a statement which he had no sooner concluded, than Goldingham, letting fall his spectacles and horn-headed cane upon the stone floor of the lobby, began snapping his fingers, and springing up first on one toe, then on the other, while he repeatedly ejaculated, "Clever boy! clever boy! well done Reuben! make a man of business of him after all. Better than a Popish plot. Didn't think he had so much gumption in him. Ah, ha! Master Jeffreys, you're done, you're done! saved up, my money; and saved my poor boy too, hem!" His right hand accompanied the latter exclamation, as if striking his cane upon the ground, nor was he aware that he had dropped it until he missed the usual sharp sound of the ferule; when he stooped down, picked it thrust his broken spectacles into his coat pocket, instead and of returning them to their shagreen case, seizing one of the gaoler's hands in the agitation of the moment, shook it with great cordiality, saying, "My dear Sir, I give you joy, I give you joy!" when he strutted out of the prison with an air very little short of a swagger, making the stones ring to his iron-tipped walking staff, and the walls echo with the most sonorous "Hem !" of which he had ever been delivered. Elated to the very highest pitch with these unexpected good tidings, he determined to walk instantly to Harpsden Hall to communicate them to Helen, who had completely won his heart, not less by her generous behaviour to his nephew, than by her being such a complete woman of business; and started in execution of this purpose, with a rapidity that presently compelled him to halt and take breath. As he chinked the guineas in his breeches-pocket during this little pause, he reflected, with an ineffable triumph of mind, that he had offered Jeffreys ten thousand of these jingling yellowboys for that which he had now got for nothing; an escape of his purse, which seemed hardly less marvellous and delightful than that of his nephew, and forming together a combination of good fortune, of which he could only evince his sense by drawing two lumps of sugar from his waistcoat, and victoriously crushing them with his teeth, instead of suffering them to dilute complacently and economically in his mouth, according to his usual mode. This process was repeated more than once before he reached Harpsden Hall, where his wishes were gratified by his finding Helen in the drawing-room, unaccompanied by her sister or Lady Trevanian. Most anxious and painful had been the state of her mind during his absence, for though her knowledge of Jeffreys's venality led her to expect a favourable issue from his application, she could not but advert to the dreadful alternative that awaited his failure; while the ne cessity of concealing every external manifestation of her emotions made the pangs of suspense more acute within. By withholding Adeline, under various pretexts, from paying her customary visits, and withdrawing her from the society of those gossips who might be likely to communicate the fact of Reuben's imprisonment, she had accomplished one great object of her benevolent heart she had kept her in total ignorance of that calamity; and it was therefore with double anxiety, both on her sister's account and her own, that she heard the servant announce the name of Mr. Goldingham. The colour fled suddenly from her cheeks as he entered the room; but it as quickly returned, flushing at once her face, brow, and bosom, when she saw him advance with a cheerful countenance and an elastic step, twiddling his fingers, and only waiting till the servant had again closed the door to give them an audible smack. Auguring his perfect success from these triumphant exhibitions, Helen ran forward to |