“If we are always to be robbed in this manner,” observed Chowles, “we had better shift our quarters, and practise elsewhere.”

“He shall not repeat the offence with impunity,” returned Judith.  “I will speedily get rid of him.”

“Beware!” cried a voice, which they recognised as that of Solomon Eagle, though whence proceeding they could not precisely determine.  The pair looked at each other uneasily, but neither spoke a word.

Meanwhile, Leonard Holt did not omit to pay a daily visit to the cathedral.  It was a painful contemplation, and yet not without deep interest, to behold the constant succession of patients, most of whom were swept away by the scourge in the course of a couple of days, or even in a shorter period.  Out of every hundred persons attacked, five did not recover; and whether the virulence of the distemper increased, or the summer heats rendered its victims more easily assailable, certain it is they were carried off far more expeditiously than before.  Doctor Hodges was unremitting in his attentions, but his zeal and anxiety availed nothing.  He had to contend with a disease over which medicine exercised little control.

One morning, as he was about to enter the cathedral, he met Leonard beneath the portico, and as soon as the latter caught sight of him, he hurried towards him.

“I have been in search of you,” he said, “and was about to proceed to your residence.  Mr. Bloundel wishes to see you immediately.  Amabel is worse.”

“I will go with you at once,” replied the doctor.

And they took the way to Wood-street.

“From a few words let fall by my master, I imagine he intends sending Amabel into the country to-morrow,” said Leonard, as they proceeded.

“I hope so,” replied Hodges.  “He has already delayed it too long.  You will be glad to hear that Nizza Macascree is quite recovered.  To-morrow, or the next day, she will be able to see you with safety.”

“Heaven knows where I may be to-morrow,” rejoined Leonard.  “Wherever Amabel goes, I shall not be far off.”

“Faithful to the last!” exclaimed Hodges.  “Well, I shall not oppose you.  We must take care the Earl of Rochester does not get a hint of our proceeding.  At this time a chance meeting (were it nothing more) might prove fatal to the object of our solicitude.”

Leonard said nothing, but the colour fled his cheek, and his lips slightly quivered.  In a few seconds more they reached the grocer’s house.

They found him at the window anxiously expecting them; and Doctor Hodges, being drawn up in the same way as before, was conducted to Amabel’s chamber.  She was reclining in an easy-chair, with the Bible on her knee; and though she was much wasted away, she looked more lovely than ever.  A slight hectic flush increased the brilliancy of her eyes, which had now acquired that ominous lustre peculiar to persons in a decline.  There were other distressing symptoms