"I'm afraid what you say is too true," said Dr Prosser; "and I shall not forget our conversation on this subject.--What a lovely day!" he continued, turning to Mr Maltby. "What a contrast to the day on which I last passed through Crossbourne." "When was that?" asked his friend; "I did not know that you had been in this neighbourhood before." "Oh, I was only passing through by rail on my way to town. Let me see; I was coming from the north, and passed your station late at night on the 23rd of last December." "Ah, Thomas!" said the vicar, "that is a night _we_ cannot forget.--Poor Joe Wright! His was a terrible end indeed." "What! A man killed on the line that night near Crossbourne?" said the doctor. "I remember having my attention drawn to it more particularly, because it must have happened a few minutes after I passed over the very same spot; so I gathered from the account of the accident in the _Times_." "You must have been going up to London then by the express," said his friend. "Yes. And I've special cause to remember the night--it was dismal, rainy, and chilly. The train was very full, and I was a little anxious about my luggage, as it contained some articles of considerable value. There was no room for it in the luggage vans, which were full when I joined the train, and I had to speak rather sharply to a porter who I suspect was not over sober. He jerked up my things very roughly on to the top of the first-class carriage into which I got, and was going to leave one of the most important articles on the platform, if I had not jumped out and seen it put up myself. And then I had to scold him again for not covering the luggage properly with the tarpaulin, without which protection it would, some of it at least, have been damaged, as a steady rain was falling. I don't know when I have been more put out, and really I felt ashamed of myself afterwards. However, all was right in the end; the luggage was all safe and uninjured, and I had a prosperous journey." "I'll wish you good morning, sir," said Thomas Bradly to the doctor, as they entered the station yard. "A pleasant journey to you, sir; and there'll be many of us working-men as'll be very proud to see and hear you again in Crossbourne." "Farewell, my good friend," said the other. "I shall look forward with much pleasure to the fulfilment of my promise." A few minutes more, and Dr and Mrs Prosser were on their way back to the great city. CHAPTER SIXTEEN. CONFESSION AND EXPLANATION.