"What matters it what she says?" exclaimed the chairman testily: "why listen to falsehood? That-palpably and deliberately-leavens her entire statement."

The bull-headed man looked thoroughly unconvinced.

"Ay! indeed!" was his rejoinder-"and you say this of a party who brought to us the unqualified recommendation of no less a man than Dr. Watkinson ? He must have been sorely deceived in her." "We are all deceived in her!" remarked the treasurer solemnly. "And ye think, sir," continued the resolute man coolly-the expression of his eye was, meanwhile, most perplexing-"ye think that SHE is the only party the committee is deceived in? Certes! 'tis a strange tale."

"Pardon me for altering the epithet: a false tale you mean!" murmured the soft-voiced gentleman,-Ruth's disinterested adviser, who belonged, by his own account, "to no party," but now appeared as a committee man actively supporting the views of Mr. Pennethorne! "it can be no other. Listen, sir. Supposing, for one moment, that our worthy treasurer should so far have forgotten the leading principle of his past life: allegiance to his Maker, and faith to his fellow man,-"

The treasurer here raised his eyes to the ceiling with a demure and truly mortified air.

Supposing, I say, that he should have forgotten it," continued his apologist.

"I do suppose it," said bull-head bluntly.

"So far as to pilfer this paltry sovereign from the alms-box. What then? It was impossible for his accuser to have witnessed the deed from the position she occupied. Act as he would, she could not have overlooked him. It was impracticable. The height at which she stood prevented it. She describes, therefore, what she could not have witnessed. It's an utter impossibility!"

"Humph! we shall come to that presently;" said the pertinacious committee-man.

"We are at it now."

"No:" persisted he of the bluff voice and bull-dog visage—" but we soon shall be. Chairman, be pleased to summon before us this wholesale dealer in falsehood-Dangerfield-that, I think, is the wo

man's name."

"I decline issuing any such order," observed the chairman, thoroughly roused in his turn: " I deem any further communication with that woman, on the part of this committee, derogatory to its dignity. We are all, I believe, persuaded of her guilt; and our sole business is to award her punishment."

"You think this course impartial and just,-more particularly in a chairman, do you?"

"I deem it justified by existing circumstances, and shall persist in it until-" and he smiled scornfully-" some gentleman is found bold enough to say that he believes the accuser's statement to be true." I do:" was uttered in a clear voice, about the middle of the room. "Who's the speaker ?" cried the treasurer furiously.

"James Lycett," was the caim rejoinder.

"What!" was the exclamation of more than one bystander. "Mr.

Lycett the Quaker?"

"No other."

"How comes it, sir," said the chairman with forced composure, "that you who are so benevolent and considerate,-who entertain, in common with your sect, such rigid notions as to veracity, honour, and honesty, can countenance this wretched woman?"

"I believe her statement; let that content thee:" was the Quaker's response.

"But it does not-and it shall not ;" shouted several of Pennethorne's friends; while the cries of "Order! order!" from the chairman were unheeded in the uproar. At length, something like quiet was restored; and availing himself of the temporary lull, the soft-voiced gentleman addressed himself to Mr. Lycett.

"You are bound, sir, in common fairness, to disclose your reasons for the conclusion you have arrived at: your character lends no common weight to your opinions."

My reasons will not be palatable to thee or thy friend," remarked the Quaker quietly: "let them sleep!"

But, as Mr. Pennethorne's confidential adviser," cried the softvoiced gentleman, "I insist on hearing them."

"Dost thou coincide, Peter, with thy rash adviser ?" was Quaker Lycett's calm inquiry of the treasurer;" or dost thou condemn the hasty request of thy imprudent friend ?"

"I support it;" said the other sternly-"Out with your reasons. Announce them. Show me your hostility, avowedly, like a man ; but don't stab me in the dark with your insinuations like an assassin!"

Friend Lycett's colour rose at this reproof; and he looked, for a Quaker, consummately nettled.

"This from thy lips? Be it so. My reasons shall be forthcoming, Peter, ere we part. Meanwhile" and his clear voice rang through the room-"I repeat my individual opinion, that Ruth Dangerfield's statement is true."

"Have I now permission," said bull-head, in a tone of voice anything but deprecatory, "to summon this daring woman before us?" It was with a desperately grim smile that the chairman signified his most reluctant assent.

"You are suspected, and well-nigh condemned, nurse,"-was her advocate's opening remark to her, as she entered the board-room-" of wilful and deliberate falsehood. Your story is, that from the window of such a room, on such a day, you witnessed an act of gross dishonesty by our treasurer. This is vehemently denied. It is asserted by that gentleman, first, that no such dishonesty was ever committed by him; and next, that had he so acted, you could not possibly have witnessed his misconduct."

The woman smiled. There was nothing bold, or daring, or saucy, or defying in the expression of her countenance. And yet a spectator would have said, as he gazed upon it, "There is abundant selfreliance about that woman. Her assertions are not idly uttered; and

will not lightly be recalled."

"Now, with the permission of the committee," continued the speaker, "I intend to test the correctness of your statements. On this table, in your absence, shall be spread various articles-coin among the rest. It is proposed to you, that you stand at the window you formerly occupied, and which, you say, commands the board-room. You shall from it observe what articles are strewed over this table; and whether they are handled, or moved, by one or more of the com

mittee. You shall occupy that window for the space of fifteen minutes; and be required to tell us, on your return, what you have witnessed during that interval to have taken place in this room. Are you willing to submit to this test? Its result will, in my opinion, go far towards deciding the truth or falsehood of your statements." "It will!-It will!" was the general response.

The party addressed made no reply. The proposition seemed to have taken her by surprise. She gazed earnestly and anxiously into the foggy, gloomy, court-yard. Apparently she hesitated.

"You cannot, after your bold and reiterated statements, deem this proposal unfair?" suggested an impatient committee-man, whose dinner hour was fast approaching.

Still Mr. Pennethorne's accuser was silent; and pertinaciously scanned the weather.

"You decline then, I presume, occupying your post of observation a second time," remarked the chairman, with a relieved air and cheerful tone: "the ordeal your friend proposes is somewhat too stern and searching, so searching that you reject it?"

"The day is against me," said Ruth, evading all direct reply to the insidious question-"much against me. Light is most important. When I noticed the treasurer's conduct, the hour was noon. The sun is now much lower. It is, in fact, four o'clock. Another point;— that day, as I well remember, was one of clear, bright sunshine. This is louring and gloomy."

"The upshot of all which is," said the chairman with a chuckle, "that you decline the test proposed to you."

"On the contrary, I accept it. But, if I fail"-continued Ruth with emphasis," remember, gentlemen, that I previously mentioned all these unfavourable circumstances to you, and let them have due weight in the conclusion you come to."

"A thoroughly diabolical woman!" whispered the soft-voiced gentleman, as Ruth made her curtsey.

Marvellous and diverting was the alacrity with which, on Ruth's exit, the table was strewn with a mass of heterogeneous materials. The partisans-alas! that on such an occasion passion and prejudice should exert their loathsome influence-the partisans of the unabashed Peter readily contributed their quota towards the proposed experiment, satisfied that the result would cover his accuser with inextricable confusion. Those, again, who distrusted the treasurer's probity, eagerly did their part towards equipping the table, with the view of aiding an oppressed woman in establishing her veracity.

There was, in fact, "a wondrous unanimity" of action.

Keys in large and small bunches; cigar-cases; watches; penknives of all shapes and sizes; card-cases of various hues; sovereigns; halfcrowns and halfpence; a dozen pocket-books, and as many silver pencil-cases, were strewn, with studied confusion, over the table. The arrangement was barely completed, when the soft-voiced gentleman pointed to Ruth, who was standing at the well-known closet window, and gazing down, fixedly and earnestly, into the board-room below. "There!" said he, ironically, "there, gentlemen, is that wondrously keen-sighted woman! Now-to test her powers of observation !"

He rose as he spoke, and making a dash at a rouleau of halfcrowns, dexterously conveyed them, one and all, into his breast-pocket.

"A good example merits imitation!" was the sententious comment of the chairman: then taking two sovereigns, he rang them loudly on the table; affected, through his spectacles, to examine them closely; and then consigned them in succession to his waistcoat-pocket.

"The fifteen minutes are expired: clear the table!" cried Pennethorne impatiently. His command was obeyed in silence.

"And now, Mr. Chairman," he spoke this with an air of ill-concealed anxiety," let us hear Nurse Dangerfield's account of our proceedings."

She was summoned, and appeared again; looking, not as before, pale, and anxious, and ill-assured; but calm, self-possessed, and even

stern.

Bull-head eyed her for a moment, and then whispered his next neighbour—“That woman has not failed: no! She has her enemy at her mercy."

"Thou hast occupied that window, Ruth,"-Friend Lycett was the spokesman-" for the last fifteen minutes: hast thou not?"

Ruth assented.

"We wish to hear from thee whether thou hast observed anything unusual upon this table?"

66 I have."

And she enumerated, rapidly but accurately, the various articles which had been spread over its surface.

"Didst thou observe anything done?"

“I did.—You, sir," addressing the chairman, "took some sovereigns-how many I will not affirm, but more than one-from the table; examined them carefully; and then placed them in your pocket." "Anything else?"

"And you, sir," she here faced the soft-voiced gentleman-his name was Quadling: a thousand apologies for not having mentioned it earlier!" seized a handful of silver, and hid it, I think, in-or near-your cravat. Your motions were so rapid, that I could with difficulty follow them; but money-silver money-from the table you certainly did take."

"You are sure of that?" cried he, with the bullying air of an Old Bailey counsel.

"I am."

"You will swear that?"

"I will: safely, and at any moment."

There was a pause.

The chairman" declined," with dignity, to "put any question," or "utter any comment."

"Thou may'st leave, Ruth," at length remarked the Quaker; "unless Friend Quadling has further questions to submit to thee?" "Friend" Quadling looked furious, and growled.

"He desires, it seems, no further speech with thee, and thou may'st

go."

The words were calmly and gravely spoken; but if ever Quaker's eye looked merry and mischievous, James Lycett's did when he ut

tered them.

"This is queer," said the chairman, shifting about uneasily in his seat," very queer,-monstrous queer,-I know not what to make of it!"

"I do!" said Bull-head-his name was Pipps: apologies here also!

"I do," in a tone so quaint as to put the table in a roar, and grievously to exacerbate the bile in Mr. Quadling's system.

"It appears to me," said that worthy-his voice was rough, and his visage pale with suppressed rage,-"that so many perplexities beset the question we are considering, that we had better adjourn it sine die ?"

"No! no!" objected many voices.

"Then, till this day week?"

"I oppose any adjournment, however brief," roared Pipps, "until Mr. Lycett has stated his reasons for believing-previous to Nurse Dangerfield's powers of vision being tested-that her story was true. He promised those reasons should be forthcoming. I demand them." "And have them," responded the Quaker quickly. "About sixteen months since, I accompanied a friend from York over this infirmary. He was greatly pleased-could he be otherwise?-with its object and details. We left by the main entrance, and he had to pass the east door alms-box. In doing so, he put into it a half-guinea. I remarked the coin particularly, as being somewhat rare. I could not be mistaken. I heard the coin drop into the box; and as to its value I am positive. At the expiration of the usual period, Peter Pennethorne opened both boxes, and announced their joint produce to be eight shillings and one penny. This I knew must be incorrect. Gross and grievous error existed somewhere. I came to the conclusion that it rested with the treasurer."

"Then why did you not expose him?" said the chairman sharply: "why allow such a circumstance to occur, and maintain silence respecting it?"

"Because" said the Quaker, with an ingenuousness that did him honour" I had not the moral courage which that woman has shewn, and in which I own myself to be wretchedly her inferior. Peter Pennethorne was powerful-popular; had many friends, and could be a most formidable foe. I dreaded him-with shame I own it-and was silent."

"A curious coincidence, truly!" exclaimed Mr. Pipps; "and I shall call on our treasurer for an explanation."

But" our treasurer" had disappeared, and was never seen in again. He departed for the Continent at an early hour the following morning. What the charity suffered from his "devotion to its interests" never transpired. Rumour whispered that the defalcation was but trifling. Heavy or light, the "finance committee" kept their own counsel. Au reste, the art with which this popular functionary had sustained his own credit, and yet lived upon the public, was consummate. To not one of his tradesmen was he indebted, on the day of his flight, more than a few shillings: all their accounts bad been closely, statedly, and systematically balanced. But he had plundered-and that unmercifully-the industrious, the thrifty, and the unsuspecting. Promissory notes, without end, for twenty, thirty, fifty, seventy, pounds, the savings, in many instances, of a long life of struggle and hardship, were produced by their anguished owners; who could scarcely be persuaded, so high was their opinion of the ex-treasurer, that these securities were so much waste paper. He had acted, it appeared, as a sort of private banker; and so tempting was the rate of interest he gave for small deposits, so plausible were his manners, and so prevalent his reputation for benevolence, that he had won the confi