WYLDER'S HAJYD.
465
dangerous. He said he had a bad bruise under his ribs,
and a sprained wrist, and was a little bit shaken; and he
talked of his electioneering as only suspended for a day
or two.
Buddle, however, thought the case so imminent, that on
his way to the "Brandon Arms," meeting Larkin, going,
attended by his clerk, again to the Vicar's house, he stop-
ped him for a moment, and told him what had passed, add-
ing, that Lake was so frightfully injured, that he might
begin to sink at any moment, and that by next evening,
at all events, he might not be in a condition to make a
deposition.
"It is odd enough — very odd," said Larkin. "It was
only an hour since, in conversation with our policeman
Edwards, that I mentioned the fact of my having myself
traveled from London to Shillingsworth last night with Mr.
Mark Wylder, who went on by train in this direction, 1
presume, to meet our unfortunate friend, Captain Lake, by
appointment. Thomas Sleddon, of Wadding Hall — at
this moment in the "Brandon Arms " — is just the man;
if you mention it to him, he'll go up with you to Red-
man's Farm, and take the deposition. Let it be & de-
position, do you mind; a statement is mere hearsay."
Comforted somewhat, reassured in a certain way, and in
strong hopes that, at all events, such a muddle would be
established as to bewilder the jury, Mr. Jos Larkin, with
still an awful foreboding weighing at his heart, knocked
at the Vicar's door, and was shown into the study. A
solitary candle being .placed, to make things bright and
pleasant for the visitor, who did not look so himself, the
Vicar, very pale, and appearing to have grown even thin-
ner since he last saw him, entered, and shook his hand
with an anxious attempt at a smile, which faded almost
instantly.