s tone, "that if this claim
succeed, my mother also will share my fate"----

They shook their heads in silence.

"Permit me to suggest," said Mr. Runnington, in a tone of the most
respectful sympathy, "that sufficient for the day is the evil thereof."

"But the NIGHT follows!" said Mr. Aubrey, with a visible tremor; and his
voice made the hearts of his companions thrill within them. "I have a
fearful misgiving as to the issue of these proceedings! I ought not to
have neglected the matter pointed out to me by Mr. Parkinson on my
marriage! I feel as if I had been culpably lying by ever since!--But I
really did not attach to it the importance it deserved: I never, indeed,
distinctly appreciated the nature of what was then mentioned to me!"

"A thousand pities that a _fine_ was not _levied_, is it not?" said Mr.
Runnington, turning with a sigh to Mr. Parkinson.

"Ay, indeed it is!" replied that gentleman--and they spoke together for
some time, and very earnestly, concerning the nature and efficacy of
such a measure, which they explained to Mr. Aubrey.

"It comes to this," said he, "that in all probability, I and my family
are at this moment"--he shuddered--"trespassers at Yatton!"

"That, Mr. Aubrey," said Mr. Parkinson, earnestly, "remains to be
proved! We really are getting on far too fast. A person who heard us
might suppose that the jury had already returned a verdict against
us--that judgment had been signed--and that the sheriff was coming in
the morning to execute the writ of possession in favor of our opponent."
This was well meant by the speaker; but surely it was like talking of
the machinery of the ghastly guillotine to the wretch in shivering
expectation of suffering by it on the morrow. An involuntary shudder ran
through Mr. Aubrey. "Sixty thousand pounds!" he exclaimed, rising and
walking to and fro. "Why, I am ruined beyond all redemption! How can I
ever satisfy it?" Again he paced the room several times, in silent
agony. Presently he resumed his seat. "I have, for these several days
past, had a strange sense of impending calamity," said he, more
calmly--"I have been equally unable to account for, or get rid of it. It
may be an intimation from Heaven; I bow to its will!"

"We must remember," said Mr. Runnington, "that '_possession is
nine-tenths of the law_;' which means, that your mere possession will
entitle you to retain it against all the world, till a stronger title
than yours to the right of pos