right to put it there. The shelf was her own shelf, put up by John Stubbins the carpenter, at her own expense, and she would tell nobody why she put the egg there." One day—a Thursday afternoon-a tabby cat was seen sitting on the ledge over the door, beside the egg:-that night the clergyman of the parish died!"

Ragged Jack gave a loud yawn, and said, "Is that all?" For which, however, he received a reprimand from the antiquary.

Having made a suitable present to the blind man, we returned to our car.

"Is it not extraordinary," said I, “that the same person who related the pretty tale of the loss of the revenue cutter, should tell us that trumpery story about the egg?"

"Not at all," replied the antiquary, with a sigh.

"The intellects of an old man seem at one time luminous, and then on a sudden are involved in darkness, like the flame of a lamp at the point of extinction. Ah! I feel myself that I get prosy and twaddly at times. Have you not observed it, Mr. Elder?"

"How can you say so, Mr. Winterblossom? I have never observed anything of the sort."

After we had proceeded some distance in our car, we got out to walk up a hill. Here we overtook an elderly gentleman, who was slowly ascending the hill by the side of a low pony carriage. He instantly recognised Mr. Winterblossom.

"Is it you, indeed, Mr. ?" said the antiquary. "Yours is the first familiar face that I have fallen in with since my return to the island of my birth."

They then entered into a long conversation about old times, which, though doubtless very agreeable to themselves, would probably not be found interesting to the general reader. The conversation, however, ended in an invitation for the antiquary and myself to spend the day and dine with him on the morrow; which was accepted.

The following day we paid our visit; and after dinner I mentioned to our host the work in which I was engaged, and asked him whether he could give me any assistance. To

which he replied, "There is a curious tale connected with a family in this neighbourhood which I shall be happy to relate to you, but only upon the condition that neither my name, nor any name connected with the story, he repeated.

"THE IRON CHEST.

“That human souls prognosticate things to come, at the time they are separating from the body, is scarcely to be denied. The story I am about to relate is one well authenticated. I could show you the spot where tradition says it took place. The evening is fine; suppose we take a walk to see it. The tale will be more impressively told when the shades of night gather around us.”

We made no objection, and accordingly set

out.

The sun was just going down in the soft calm of a summer evening, when we began to ascend the heights of . In a little while we reached a clump of elms. Everything was as silent as a churchyard: not a crea

ture to be seen on the road or in the fields. There is always a solemn feeling which accompanies a tale of supernatural wonder. We walked on to where the trees rose highest and thickest on each side of the road.

"You are now," said he, "approaching what is called by the country people the haunted grove,' which formerly no one would pass after dusk. There lived close by, an eccentric person of an avaricious, cringing, grasping mind, who was commonly taken. notice of for an habitual saying, by way of interjection to almost everything, You say true-you say true-you are in the right.' He was an attorney of some eminence, and, from a kind of sneaking acquiescence towards his superiors, gained the good will and patronage of a neighbouring squire. Indeed this saying of his, which soon became a sort of proverb in the country, will better convey to your understanding an idea of his character, than any description I can give.

"In due course of time the squire died, and was succeeded, as every one supposed, by his nephew, a child of about ten years of age.

The day of interment came, and the relatives assembled for the opening of the will. A great iron chest was brought into the room, with three locks to it, in which were all the writings and documents belonging to the late squire's estate. Upon opening it, you may imagine the astonishment of all present, when it was discovered that this shrewd old lawyer was declared heir to everything.

"The parents of the child complained loudly of injustice, but it was to no purpose: and the chest which contained the title to the attorney's ill-gotten property was closed again.

"He remained for some years the undisputed possessor of the estates. But amidst all his wealth he still retained most of his penurious habits, occupying himself a small apartment. This room was in a filthy state, covered with cobwebs, containing no other furniture than a small bedstead without curtains, in which he slept, and the iron chest in which were deposited the important papers. No one was ever allowed to enter his room till his dying day, except the old woman who made his bed.