accounts" of-Gerald's death. Doctor Stedman was one of the medical men who assisted at the post mortem examination. The brain was found in a far from healthy state, and indicated organic disease of some duration. Dr. Stedman gave his opinion, that Gerald's insanity dated from his unjust confinement as a lunatic at Lindor Hall! Doubtless the shock of Miriam's death, following so closely, had confirmed his incipient insanity. The coroner's inquest pronounced a verdict in accordance with the above testimony. Lady Augusta's nervous system had received a shock which rendered her final recovery extremely problematical. Covert was overjoyed, for he was now heir to the Lindor Estate. The truehearted Downey wept bitterly for his friend, who had left him heir to all his personal property.

CHAPTER IX.

THE ACCOMPLICES.

THREE years had elapsed since Gerald's death. In 1861, the remainder of our dramatis persona were situated as follows:-Lady Augusta Lindor née Welborne, had recovered from the illness caused by the shock of Gerald's death; but her ladyship had changed greatly both personally and mentally. Her hair was thickly sown with grey; her lively spirits had departed; and, though the éclat of her history, which was so nearly illustrated by the celebrated couplet in 'The Betrothed,' of Sir Walter Scott:

"Widowed wife, and wedded maid,

Betrothed, betrayer, and betrayed"—

had brought many suitors for her hand (for the generality of men's love is three parts vanity of conquest, and flattery of gaining a prize for which there are many competitors), Lady Lindor still continued a widow.

He

By the death of Sir Thomas Lindor, who broke his neck while hunting, the Rev. Mr. Covert succeeded to the Lindor Estates. is now Rector of Littleton, and is marked as a rising man in the Church. No sneer is here intended. It must be borne in mind that Mr. Covert, though morally responsible for the deaths of Miriam and Gerald, had done nothing amenable to law. No crime could be proved against him; and his consummate hypocrisy gained him respect from those who could know nothing whatever of his secret history as detailed in these pages. True, his black heart had been completely revealed to Lady Augusta, by Gerald's dying speech, and the facts of Mr. Covert's guilt further confirmed

by the oral testimony of Mr. Downey, and the Rev. Mr. Arncliffe, and the written document which Miriam had left behind; but she had carefully locked the secret in her bosom.

The Earl of Belair knew nothing of the compact which had been made between his sister, daughter, and Mr. Covert, to get Miriam out of the way, and was not likely to hear it from any of the parties concerned. As for any allegation which might have been made by Downey, Mr. Arncliffe, Mr. Coiler (Covert's former accomplice), or any other individuals, against Mr. Covert, his position and influence as the proprietor of the Lindor Estate, and his profession, enabled him to smile at the possibility of such attempts seriously injuring his character. His wealth would have enabled him to prosecute successfully for defamation of character. The reader is requested to observe that the public has not his opportunities of dissecting Mr. Covert's character, and that, though guilty in intention, as he certainly did not by any illegal act, cause

the death of his victims, he could not be arraigned for murder before any human tribunal. Mr. Covert was not only secure from the arm of Justice, but he stood well with public opinion. The world liked Mr. Covert because he was rich and gave entertainments, and acted like a man of the world. And besides all this, Mr. Covert had attained great local fame as a preacher, a zealous rector, a moral and a good son!

man,

The secret of his success as a preacher is not surprising. We have already seen that he was gifted with great powers of eloquence, and who could have excelled him, in painting the depravity of the human heart! His friends wondered that such an able preacher did not seek some higher preferment than the rectorship of Littleton. Many thought him equal, some even said he was superior, to that distinguished pulpit orator, the Hon. and Rev. Wycherley Winsome. Some predicted that he would be as popular as Dr. Cumming or Mr. Spurgeon. If any man had dared to come to