of seals, rose at my entrance, with a solemn grunt, and a still more
solemn bow. I shut the door carefully, and asked him his business:--as I
had foreseen, it was a request from the magistrate at--, to attend a
private examination on the ensuing day.

"Sad thing, Sir, sad thing," said Mr.--, "it would be quite shocking to
hang a gentleman of Sir Reginald Glanville's quality--so distinguished an
orator too; sad thing, Sir,--very sad thing."

"Oh!" said I, quietly, "there is not a doubt as to Sir Reginald's
innocence of the crime laid to him; and, probably, Mr.--, I may call in
your assistance to-morrow, to ascertain the real murderers--I think I am
possessed of some clue."

Mr.--pricked up his ears--those enormous ears. "Sir," he said, "I shall
be happy to accompany you--very happy; give me the clue you speak of, and
I will soon find the villains. Horrid thing, Sir, murder--very horrid.
It's too hard that a gentleman cannot take his ride home from a race, or
a merry-making, but he must have his throat cut from ear to ear--ear to
ear, Sir;" and with these words, the speaker's own auricular
protuberances seemed to glow, as if in conscious horror, with a double
carnation.

"Very true, Mr.--!" said I; "say I will certainly attend the examination-
-till then, good bye!" At this hint, my fiery faced friend made me a low
bow, and blazed out of the room, like the ghost of a kitchen fire.

Left to myself, I revolved, earnestly and anxiously, every thing that
could tend to diminish the appearances against Glanville, and direct
suspicion to that quarter where I was confident the guilt rested. In this