He held up the lanthorn, and revealed the state of the vestry--the chair overturned, the table driven into a corner, and the gown and surplice torn from the pegs on which they had hung, trampled and twisted, while in one place the tiles close to the wainscot were stained with blood, a few drops of which had splashed the panelled oak. "Shut that window, man--quick! Hide your light." Moredock obeyed, screening his lanthorn, and then climbing on to the oak chest and drawing in and fastening the hasp. "Shall I--" he began, as he got down. "Hang it, man, no!" "Hist! Don't say that there word," whispered Moredock excitedly. "You can come up here to-morrow, and clean up, and arrange the place. Let's get to the vault at once." The old sexton's hands trembled as he opened the vestry door, but as he felt how calm and decisive his companion seemed to be, he took courage and followed North through the iron gate and down the steps to the mausoleum door. "Keep that lanthorn well covered," whispered North, as he unlocked the door; "and you have not locked the gates." The old man stepped back, feeling the wisdom of his companion's proceedings as far as caution was concerned; and by the time he had stepped back, North was inside the great vault, holding the door for him to enter. "There, let's have the light now," said the doctor bitterly. "Be firm. You are not afraid to face a dead man?" "Nay, I'm not sheered now, doctor," whispered Moredock; "but you'll-- you'll--you'll--" "Pay you?" "Ay, doctor. You see, it's--it's--" "Don't halt and stammer, man," said the doctor sternly. "This is a terrible business, but I can trust you, and you can trust me. Stand by me firmly over this, and I will give you enough every year to make you comfortable to the end of your days." "Hi, doctor, that's speaking out like a man," said Moredock, smiling hideously as he opened the horn lanthorn to snuff the candle with his fingers, when the light shone full in his face. "And he warn't no good, were he?" "I dare say he valued his life as highly as I valued mine--yesterday," added the doctor softly. "And he tried to kill you, didn't he?" whispered Moredock, closing the lanthorn again. "As much as I tried to kill him, I suppose," said North. "We were fighting like two brute beasts." "Ay, and it was for life, like," said Moredock, in a satisfied tone. "It warn't murder, doctor, were it?" "By law, I suppose not," said North quietly, as he stood in his former attitude with his hand over his eyes. "There, we must not waste time. My experiment is over now, and we must restore this place to its old state." "Not murder," said Moredock, with a chuckle; "of course not. I feel easy now."