fighting shy, I fear, with Barbara
present; and then there's that infernal autem-bawler; it will be so
cursedly regular. If you had done the job, Balty, it would not have
signified a brass farden. Luckily there will be no vitnesses to snitch
upon us. There will be no one in the vault besides ourselves."

"There will be a silent and a solemn witness," returned Balthazar, "and
one whom you expect not."

"Eh! Vot's that you say? a spy?"

But the patrico was gone.

"Make way there--make way, pals, for the bride and bridegroom," cried
the knight of Malta, drawing Excalibur, and preparing to lead the way to
the vault.

The train began to move. Eleanor leaned upon the arm of her mother.
Beside them stalked Barbara, with an aspect of triumph. Luke followed
with the priest. One by one the assemblage quitted the apartment.

The sexton alone lingered. "The moment is at hand," said he, musingly,
"when all shall be consummated."

A few steps brought him into the court. The crowd was there still. A
brief delay had taken place. The knight of Malta then entered the mouth
of the vault. He held his torch so as to reveal a broken flight of
steps, conducting, it would seem, to regions of perpetual night. So
thought Eleanor, as she shudderingly gazed into the abyss. She
hesitated; she trembled; she refused. But her mother's entreaties, and
Barbara's threatening looks, induced, in the end, reluctant compliance.
At length the place was empty. Peter was about to follow, when the sound
of a horse's hoofs broke upon his ear. He tarried for an instant, and
the mounted figure of the highwayman burst within the limits of the
court.

"Ha, ha! old earthworm," cried Dick, "my Nestor of the churchyard,
alone! Where the devil are all the folks gone? Where's Sir Luke and his
new-found cousin, eh?"

Peter hastily explained.

"A wedding under ground? famous! the thing of all others I should like
to see. I'll hang Bess to this ivy tod, and grub my way with you
thither, old mole."

"You must stay here, and keep guard," returned Peter.

"May I be hanged if I do, when such fun is going on."

"Hanged, in all probability, you will be," returned Peter; "but I should
not, were I you, desire to anticipate my destiny. Stay here you must,
and shall--that's peremptory. You will be the gainer by it. Sir Luke
will reward you nobly. I will answer for him. You can serve him most
effectually. Ranulph Rookwood and Major Mowbray are expected here."

"The