mon of Athens.

"Fly now, for your life fly," whispered Quirk, eagerly, to Clinton, as,
rid of Arthur, they pursued their way through the thick darkness and
pelting storm. "If the cry of that white-faced stripling has roused
Wilkins, we're as good as lost, unless we outstrip him; for I'd about as
soon have a dozen blood-hounds at my heels as him."

They sped on in silence--only now and then stopping to change hands with
their heavy load--until they once more stood at the door of Clinton's
house. Here, placing their booty upon the ground, Clinton lifted up a
trap-door, concealed just under the steps leading up to the front
entrance. With Quirk's assistance, he placed the bags of goods, one by
one, in a sort of cellar, rather large than deep, thus made on account
of the thinness of the soil, and closely stoned and cemented, in order
to be perfectly dry. Closing the door cautiously, once more, Clinton
locked it, placed over it some broken bricks, loose earth, and tufts of
grass, so as effectually to conceal it, then crept out, and rubbing the
dust from his clothes, prepared to enter. Quirk went in with him, and
they seated themselves in the little back-room, which they had left two
short hours before.

"A capital haul for one night," said Clinton, triumphantly, flinging off
his great-coat, and drawing his chair to the grate, where a cheerful
fire was burning, rendered necessary by the dampness.

"It isn't the first thing of the kind you were ever engaged in, Clin?"

"You know better," returned the other, with an easy confidence, but at
the same time a grave look crossing his features.

"Believe me, I don't want to pry into private matters, but I couldn't
help wondering to-night, as we came along, if this pretty little wife of
yours knew the secret of your outgoings and your incomings."

"No, thank Heaven!" replied Clinton, with more earnestness that one
would have deemed him capable of. "No, she hasn't a suspicion of such
things."

"Glad of it," said Quirk, "she's happier; but I say, old boy, havn't you
sometimes regretted the faithfulness to a poor girl which has deprived
you of your inheritance, and forced you upon such deeds as to-night for
a living?"

"No! My faithfulness to Marion has made a better man of me in some
respects than otherwise I ever could have been, though it may have made
me worse in others. I have in her a noble and excellent wife, with all
the sterling good qualities, which, had I married