l
air about me, is worthy of the great Verdoni. Neither is that a bad hit
about my Christianity stopping at the Dane-dike. Certes, I shall have
to call on that young lady, though from what I have heard of the sturdy
farmer, I may both ride and reason long, even after my greatest exploits
at the Sessions, without converting him to free trade; and trebly so
after that deplorable affair. I wonder whether we shall ever get to the
bottom of that mystery. How often have I warned the boy that mischief
was quite sure to come! though I never even dreamed that it would be so
bad as this."

Since Dr. Upround first came to Flamborough, nothing (not even the
infliction of his nickname) had grieved him so deeply as the sad death
of Carroway. From the first he felt certain that his own people were
guiltless of any share in it. But his heart misgave him as to distant
smugglers, men who came from afar freebooting, bringing over ocean
woes to men of settlement, good tithe-payers. For such men (plainly of
foreign breed, and very plain specimens of it) had not at all succeeded
in eluding observation, in a neighborhood where they could have no
honest calling. Flamborough had called to witness Filey, and Filey had
attested Bridlington, that a stranger on horseback had appeared among
them with a purpose obscurely evil. They were right enough as to the
fact, although the purpose was not evil, as little Denmark even now
began to own.

"Here I am again!" cried Mr. Mordacks, laying vehement hold of the
rector's hand, upon the following morning; "just arrived from York, dear
sir, after riding half the night, and going anywhere you please; except
perhaps where you would like to send me, if charity and Christian
courtesy allowed. My dear sir, have you heard the news? I perceive by
your countenance that you have not. Ah, you are generally benighted in
these parts. Your caves have got something to do with it. The mind gets
accustomed to them."

"I venture to think, Mr. Mordacks, on the whole," said the rector,
who studied this man gently, "that sometimes you are rapid in your
conclusions. Possibly of the two extremes it is the more desirable;
especially in these parts, because of its great rarity. Still the mere
fact of some caves existing, in or out of my parish, whichever it may
be, scarcely seems to prove that all the people of Flamborough live in
them. And even if we did, it was the manner of the ancient seers, both
in the Classics, and in Hol