the officer, and charged him with felony; the constable received him; the attorney submitted; the bailiff was hushed; and the waves of the mob immediately subsided.

The doctor now balanced with himself how he should proceed; at last he determined to leave Booth a little longer in captivity, and not quit sight of Murphy, before he had lodged him safe with a magistrate. They then all moved forwards to the justice; the constable and his prisoner marching first, the doctor and the bailiff following next, and about five thousand mob (for no less number were assembled in a very few minutes) following in the procession.

They found the magistrate just sitting down to his dinner; however, when he was acquainted with the doctor's profession, he immediately admitted him, and heard his business. Which he no sooner perfectly understood, with all its circumstances, than he resolved, though it was then very late, and he had been fatigued all the morning with public business, to postpone all refreshment till he had discharged his duty. He accordingly adjourned the prisoner and his cause to the bailiff's house, whither he himself, with the doctor, immediately repaired, and whither the attorney was followed by a much larger number of attendants than he had been honoured with before.

CHAP. VII.

In which the History draws towards a Conclusion.

NOTHING could exceed the astonishment of

Booth at the behaviour of the doctor, at the time when he sallied forth in pursuit of the attorney;

for which it was so impossible for him to account in any manner whatever. He remained a long time in the utmost torture of mind, till at last the bailiff's wife came to him, and asked him, if the doctor was not a madman ? and, in truth, he could hardly defend him from that imputation.

While he was in this perplexity, the maid of the house brought him a message from Robinson, desiring the favour of seeing him above stairs. With this he immediately complied.

When these two were alone together, and the key turned on them (for the bailiffs wife was a most careful person, and never omitted that ceremony in the absence of her husband, having always at her tongue's end that excellent proverb of Safe bind safe find), Robinson, looking stedfastly upon Booth, said, I believe, sir, you scarce remem'ber me.'

Booth answered, that he thought he had seen his face somewhere before; but could not then recollect when or where.

Indeed, sir,' answered the man, it was a place which no man can remember with pleasure. But do you not remember, a few weeks ago, that you had the misfortune to be in a certain prison in this town, where you lost a trifling sum at cards to a fellow-prisoner?"

This hint sufficiently awakened Booth's memory, and he now recollected the features of his old friend Robinson. He answered him a little surlily, I 'know you now very well; but I did not imagine you would ever have reminded me of that trans' action.'

Alas, sir!' answered Robinson, whatever happened then was very trifling, compared to the injuries I have done you; but if my life be spared long enough, I will now undo it all; and as I have been one of your worst enemies, I will now be one of your best friends."

He was just entering upon his story, when a noise was heard below, which might be almost compared to what have been heard in Holland, when the dykes have given way, and the ocean in an inundation breaks in upon the land. It seemed, indeed, as if the whole world was bursting into the house at once.

Booth was a man of great firmness of mind, and he had need of it all at this instant. As for poor Robinson, the usual concomitants of guilt attended him, and he began to tremble in a violent man

ner.

The first person, who ascended the stairs, was the doctor, who no sooner saw Booth, than he ran to him, and embraced him, crying, My child, I wish you joy with all my heart. Your sufferings are all at an end; and Providence hath done you 'the justice at last, which it will, one day or other, render to all men.-You will hear all presently; 'but I can now only tell you, that your sister is discovered, and the estate is your own.'

Booth was in such confusion, that he scarce made any answer; and now appeared the justice and his clerk, and immediately afterwards the constable with his prisoner, the bailiff, and as many more as could possibly crowd up stairs.

The doctor now addressed himself to the sick man, and desired him to repeat the same information before the justice, which he had made already; to which Robinson readily consented.

While the clerk was taking down the information, the attorney expressed a very impatient desire to send instantly for his clerk; and expressed so much uneasiness at the confusion in which he had left his papers at home, that a thought suggested itself to the doctor, that if his house was searched, some lights, and evidence, relating to this affair, would certainly be found; he therefore desired the

justice to grant a search-warrant immediately, to search his house.

The justice answered, that he had no such power. That if there was any suspicion of stolen goods, he could grant a warrant to search for them.

How, sir!' said the doctor,

⚫ warrant to search a man's house for a silver tea

spoon, and not in a case like this, robbed of his whole estate?'

can you grant a

where a man is

'Hold, sir,' says the sick man, I believe I can answer that point; for I can swear he hath several title-deeds of the estate now in his possession, which I am sure were stolen from the right owner.' The justice still hesitated. He said, title-deeds savoured of the reality, and it was not felony to steal them. If, indeed, they were taken away in a box, then it would be felony to steal the box.

Savour of the reality! Savour of the fartality,' said the doctor. I never heard such incomprehen'sible nonsense. This is impudent, as well as childish, trifling with the lives and properties of men.' • Well, sir,' said Robinson, I now am sure I 'can do his business; for I know he hath a silver cup in his possession, which is the property of this gentleman (meaning Booth), and how he got 'it but by stealth, let him account if he can."

That will do,' cries the justice, with great pleasure. That will do; and if you will charge him on oath with that, I will instantly grant my war'rant to search his house for it.' And I will go

and see it executed,' cries the doctor; for it was a maxim of his, that no man could descend below himself, in doing any act which may contribute to protect an innocent person, or to bring a rogue to the gallows.

The oath was instantly taken, the warrant signed, and the doctor attended the constable in the execution of it.

The clerk then proceeded in taking the information of Robinson, and had just finished it, when the doctor returned with the utmost joy in his countenance, and declared that he had sufficient. evidence of the fact in his possession. He had indeed two or three letters from Miss Harris, in answer to the attorney's frequent demands of money for secrecy, that fully explained the whole villainy.

The justice now asked the prisoner what he had to say for himself, or whether he chose to say any thing in his own defence.

Sir,' said the attorney, with great confidence, I am not to defend myself here. It will be of no service to me; for I know you neither can, nor will discharge me. But I am extremely in6 nocent of all this matter, as I doubt not but to make appear to the satisfaction of a court of justice.'

The legal previous ceremonies were then gone through, of binding over the prosecutor, &c. and then the attorney was committed to Newgate; whither he was escorted amidst the acclamations of the populace.

When Murphy was departed, and a little calm restored in the house, the justice made his compliments of congratulation to Booth; who, as well as he could in his present tumult of joy, returned his thanks to both the magistrate and the doctor. They were now all preparing to depart, when Mr. Bondum stepped up to Booth, and said: 'Hold, sir, you have forgot one thing-you have not given bail yet.

This occasioned some distress at this time; for the attorney's friend was departed; but when the justice heard this, he immediately offered himself as the other bondsman; and thus ended the affair.

It was now past six o'clock, and none of the gentlemen had yet dined. They very readily, therefore, accepted the magistrate's invitation, and went altogether to his house.