Yes, he was told, suspicion did point very decidedly at a certain
person; but, as no specific reward had yet been offered in sufficient
amount to justify the exertions of police officials having families to
support; and as no lifeless body had yet been found; and as it was not
exactly certain that the abstraction of an umbrella by unknown parties
would justify the criminal prosecution of a person for having in his
possession an Indian Club:--in view of all these complicated
circumstances, the law did not feel itself authorized to execute any
assassin at present.

"And here we are, sir, at last, near our Ritualistic Church," continued
Judge SWEENEY, "where we stand up for the Rite so much that strangers
sometimes complain of it as fatiguing. Upon that monument yonder, in the
graveyard, you may find the epitaph I have mentioned. What is more, here
comes a rather interesting local character of ours, who cut the
inscription and put up the monument."

Mr. MCLAUGHLIN came shuffling up the road as he spoke, followed in the
distance by the inevitable SMALLEY and a shower of promiscuous stones.

"Here, you boy!" roared Judge SWEENEY, beckoning the amiable child to
him with a bit of small money, "aim at _all_ of us--do you hear?--and
see that you don't hit any windows. And now, MCLAUGHLIN, how do you do?
Here is a gentleman spending the summer with us, who would like to know
you."

Old MORTARITY stared at the hair and beard, thus introduced to him, with
undisguised amazement, and grimly remarked, that if the gentleman would
come to see him any evening, and bring a social bottle with him, he
would not allow the gentleman's head to stand in the way of a further