the
table.

Just as the clocks were striking 2 a.m., however, he felt that he could
move; and swiftly gliding away from the attic, he hurried down into the
street and strained every nerve to direct his course towards Highgate.

But every effort was vain; he was drawn, against his will, to a house
where an habitual criminal whom his lordship had let loose upon society
was engaged in preparing poisoned food for a family.

Having assisted in the mixing of the poison, he passed on and found
himself in a room with a swindling company-director whom he had let off
with six months instead of fifty years; and here he assisted in the
drawing up of a new prospectus specially designed for the benefit of the
widow and the fatherless who might happen to have a mite or two to be
relieved of.

By this time it was morning; and the judge's ghost found himself in a
shed where that diseased-meat purveyor whom he had alluded to was busy
packing for the market; and the ghost helped with advice.

All that day he wandered from one criminal to another, from one victim
to another; until the following night he once more joined the two
burglars Jemmy and Bill at the carriage-gate of the residence of the
Bishop of Hampstead. Convulsed with inexpressible grief, the spectre
advised the stretching of wires across the lawn to trip up pursuers;
then struggling madly against the words which he was forced to utter, he
offered, as a ghost, to glide in through the walls and discover the most
vulnerable fastenings; an offer which the two burglars eagerly and
gratefully accepted. After this the judge's ghost pointed out where the
plate was kept, and assisted in chloroforming the butler and stealing
the key; and then he led the way to the cabinet in which the Bishopess
of Hampstead kept her jewels, and kept watch while it was forced and the
valuables were extracted.

All three had safely reached the library on their way out, when a
piercing scream rang through the house; it was the scream of the
spectre's sister-in-law the bishopess who had just awoke and discovered
the loss of the jewels; and in another moment the bishop in his nightcap
and slippers stood before them.

[Illustration]

He was a brave bishop, and was in the act of felling Jemmy Wedge with a
poker, when he recognised his brother; and the weapon fell from his
hand, giving Jemmy a chance of whipping out his revolver and firing. The
bishop fell; and the judge's ghost and he were left alon