scarcely high enough for a tall man to stand erect, and was supported by posts. The place was, as usual, swarming with company; cutthroats and cutpurses; itinerant musicians; fellows in the garb of monks, but with faces flushed with drinking, and of abominably sinister expression; women with parti-coloured hoods; sham cripples and beggars with simulated sores, were all bent on enjoying themselves while a farthing remained. Some were singing or bawling out obscene jests; others were playing at cards or backgammon; while a few looked on in a kind of vague stupor, having drunk until every sense but that of sight had been subdued. In a dark corner of the room might be seen a group of four savage-looking ruffians, concerting some plan of midnight robbery over a stoup of wine. Their cogitations were totally unheeded by those around them, and might have continued for some time longer, but for a dispute which arose on some matter connected with the subject of their discussion, when two of the group suddenly left their companions, and removed to a different part of the

room, near the window. One of these fellows was tall, and in his youth had evidently been a very handsome man, but his once comely visage and complexion had been disfigured by intemperance, and that habitual acquaintance with vice which gives to the finest face an expression infinitely more disagreeable than positive ugliness. The other man was a perfect contrast to his companion, being exceedingly short of stature, a broad-shouldered, thick-set knave, with a heavy sullen aspect, a large nose, which looked downward, and glowed at the tip like an escarbuncle, and an ill-shaped, vulgar mouth, with one tooth overhanging the lip, like the tusk of a wild boar. This fellow was the most daring ruffian and night-walker within the precincts of St. Martin's.

"I don't like that Kit Newis," said the tall man, throwing himself on a bench near the window; "he's a sneaking hound, and would betray us to the dean's men for a stoup of wine."

"He had better not," remarked the thick-set man, playing as he spoke with the handle of a broad dudgeon dagger which depended from

his girdle. "Corpus Domini! if I thought he would, I'd slit his weasand."

"The best way is not to trust him at all," continued the other; "for if we do, we shall get a week's lodging in the dean's dungeon cellar, and lose the purse that's promised us. I once lay a week in that damnable place, where I caught an ague."

"Well, never mind that," rejoined the short man; "let us see how we can leave him out of our fellowship. I like not too many mates in this kind o' work; but let's have another pottle on the strength of what we have to receive for the job; for the devil a cross have I got in my pouch.-What ho! Toney, my old dragon, bring another pottle o' your best."

The burly figure of Toney Johnson waddled across the room and deposited on the table the wine which had been called for, holding forth at the same time his palm to receive the money.

"Out upon thee!" cried the ruffian; "I have paid thee all my coin to-night, and thou must now wait until I get more. I'll be out o' thy debt before even-song to-morrow."

"Hast thou no pawn, my valiant swashbuckler?" inquired the doubting landlord.

"By the mass, none!" cried the fellow, taking a draught, and making a sign for the querist to begone.

Toney waddled back to his bar and scored up the drink with a piece of chalk. "The rascals!" muttered he, "they are brewing some mischief to-night, and may find a lodging in the compter; they're a pretty pair, and would become the gallows well."

Meanwhile the two worthies resumed their conversation in a low tone. "Dost thou think

this springald will come, Roger?" asked the stout ruffian.

66

Ay, without doubt," was the reply; "he is young, but he hath a stout stomach, and will be as good as his word."

"By St. Martin, it would be a good jest if we enticed him here some night, and made free with that fair chain of gold he wears about his neck."

"Thou art a greedy knave, Jack," remarked the tall man; "thou art always burning to finger

everything that's made of gold or silver. I have seen thee eye the church plate as a fox looks at But let us see if this youth is

a hen-roost.

come."

He rose from his seat, and going to the lattice, wiped with his sleeve the steam from one of the panes, and placing his eye close to the glass, looked into the court. Immediately afterwards he quitted the room.

The stranger who had been pacing up and down outside, faced about as the ruffian emerged from the tavern.

"I thought you had forgotten our meeting," remarked he somewhat peevishly.

"I cry your pardon, fair sir," was the reply. "I should have been with you before this, but there is some company within whom I would not have know of our business. There's some danger in the job, withal, for master Cawdry, the dean, hath sworn that if a sanctuary man doth a felony without the precincts, he will give him up to the sheriffs."

"Pshaw!" cried the stranger, contemptuously, "I took thee for a fellow of better