The Bishop's Secret

disorder. It was not Dr Pendle's wish that the entertainment should be cut short on his account, but the rumour-magnified greatly-of his sudde

ry, although he begged hard to stay in the hope of making himself useful. And the most unpleasant part of

poor Mrs Pendle over and over again. 'And I never

ws,' suggested Lucy, who was hovering roun

no secrets from me,' she said decisively, 'and, from all I kn

e able to explai

to hear from a stranger what should be told to myself. As your father's wife, he has no right to s

children could comfort her in any way, for, ignorant themselves of what had occurred, they could make no suggestions. Fortunatel

said briskly, advancing on Mr

bis

position brought on by too much exertion in

nothing to do with p

or was only a decayed cle

?' was the anxious quest

draught, and now he is about to lie down. There is no occasion for you to worry in the least. To-morrow morning you will be laughing over this need

sisted Mrs Pendle, whose instinct told

e her own way. I know you won't sleep a wink unless your mind is

usual exertion by anxiety, she walked towards the library, followed by the bisho

r Graham, in an undertone to Lucy; '

or, so long as there is

, Miss Lucy, that this is a c

he Jesuit, in his softest tones, whereupon Graham lo

ver make false reports,' said he, coldly; 'ther

sually ruddy colour had disappeared, and he was white-faced and haggard in appearance; looking like a man who had received a severe shock, and who had n

d, when she was seated

anxious

ve been doing too much work of late, and unexpectedly I was seized with a faintn

r heart, I tr

or. 'His lordship's heart is

ht have been upset

fatigue. Take your mother to bed; and you, my dear,' added the bishop, kissin

n for your ne

for my nerves, Amy. Rest

easy in his mind about his father. Cargrim and Graham remained, but the bishop, taking no notice of their presence, look

aham and the bishop desired to conceal. The doctor noted the curious expression in the chaplain's eyes, and with bluff good-humour-which was assumed, as he disl

it up all night with hi

Graham, gruffly. 'Go to bed, sir, and

softly. 'I trust you will find your

Mr Cargrim;

turned briskly towards his patient, who was standing as still as any st

e shoulder, 'you must take your composing draught a

replied Pendle

n't tell me what is the matte

, doctor, t

arply, 'and it will take some time for you to recover

bishop, wincing

. I can do no more, so I'll say go

hin his own for a moment. 'Your allus

t of

ring into the sea

Graham, smiling in his dry way, took himself out of the room. As he glanced back at the door he saw that the

e that I should be so superstitious. The bishop has had a shock. What is it? what is it? That visitor brought bad news! Hum! Hum! Better to throw physic to the dogs in his c

?' said the soft voice

tter; good-night,' he replied

of Beorminster; but the men, one and all-even his clerical brethren-disliked and distrusted him, although there was no apparent reason for their doing so. Perhaps his too deferential manners and pronounced effeminacy, which made him shun manly sports, had something to do with his masculine unpopularity; but, from the bishop downward, he was certainly no favourite, and in every male breast he constantly inspired a desi

man was the son of an old schoolfellow, to whom Pendle had been much attached, and from whom, in the earlier part of his career, he had received many kindnesses. This schoolfellow-he was a banker-had become a bankrupt, a beggar, finally a suicide, through no fault of his own, and when dying, had commended his wife and son to the bishop's care. Cargrim was then fifteen years of age, and being clever and calculating, even as a youth, had determined to utilise the

far from Beorminster, which was in the gift of the bishop. The present holder was aged and infirm, and given so much to indulgence in port wine, that the chances were he might expire within a few months, and then, as the chaplain hoped, the next rector would be the Reverend Michael Cargrim. Once that firm position was obtained, he could bend his energies to

y he had conceived the plan of somehow getting the bishop into his power. Hitherto-so open and stainless was Dr Pendle's life-he had not succeeded in his aims; but now matters looked more promising, for the bishop appeared to possess a secret which he guarded even from the knowledge of his wife. What this secret might be, Cargrim could not guess, in spite of his anxiety to do so, but he intended in one way or another to discover it and utilise it for the furtherance and attainment of his own selfish ends. By gaining such forbidden knowledge he hoped to get Dr Pendle well under

to the man in the most casual way, for it would not do to let the

nary. I never knowed his lordship took ill before

this gentleman a short man with

military gentleman, sir; and I don't know as I'd call him gentry eith

?' inquired Cargrim, remem

r. I fancy I knows a parson when I sees one. Clergym

lly noting that the doctor had sp

ustache, and two black eyes like gimblets. His clothes was shabby, and his looks was horrid. Bad-tempered too, sir, I should say, for

taken ill when this vi

o the library after showing him ou

caused by the noisy

in caused by any

e deplored,' sighed Cargrim, in his

who was an old servant and took liberties; 'he was more like a tr

rshly, John. Perhaps this

t in and came out quite cocky like. I wonde

-hearted, John. This stra

ed scar on the

Good-night, John. Let us hope that his lor

night,

way with a satisfied

th the scar,' he though