certed. The returning officer, having procured silence, declared that the choice of the electors had fallen upon Mr Delamere, on which a tremendous cheering followed, which lasted for several minutes; and, luckily recollecting the utter nullity of a show of hands as a test or evidence, either way, of the result of the election,* Mr Gammon directed Mudflint formally to demand a poll on behalf of Mr Titmouse; on which the returning officer announced that the poll would take place at eight o'clock the next morning: and thereupon the day's proceedings closed. Mr Delamere, in a very few words, returned thanks to the electors for the honour which they had conferred upon him, and entreated them to go early to the poll. He and his friends then left the hustings. His procession quickly formed; his band struck up with extraordinary energy and spirit-"See the Conquering Hero comes !" but the rolling of the drums, the clashing of cymbals, the rich deep tones of the bassoons, trombones, and French horns, and clear and lively tones of flute and clarionette, were quite overpowered by the acclamations of the crowd which attended them to his committeeroom. Sir Percival Pickering, throwing open the bow-window of the committee-room, addressed a word or two to the dense crowd, and then, having given three lusty cheers, they withdrew. A glass of wine and water quickly refreshed the spirits of Mr Delamere, and a surgeon having arrived found it necessary to dress the wound with much care, for the cut was considerable ; in fact, the upper lip was partially laid open; and he declared it almost impossible for Mr Delamere to make his appearance out of doors on the morrow. As for Mr Crafty, as soon as he heard what had taken place, he uttered, as he felt bound to do, a few casual expressions of sympathy; but what passed through his thoughts, as he resumed his seat before his papers, was— "What a pity that all those fellows had not had votes, and that the poll had not commenced instanter !" The truly unexpected issue of the day's proceedings, while it elevated the spirits of all Mr Delamere's friends, produced only one effect upon the imperturbable Mr Crafty; he strongly suspected that the other side would probably be resorting during the night to measures of a desperate and

"The show of hands," (says Lord Stowell, in Anthony v. Seager, 1 Hag. Cons. Rep. 13,) " is only a rude and imperfect declaration of the sentiments of the electors."

he

unscrupulous description, in order to counteract the unfavourable impression calculated to be effected by the defeat of Mr Titmouse at the show of hands. As for that gentleman, by the way, became very insolent towards Gammon on reaching the committee-room, and protested, with fury in his face, that it had all been brought about by Mr Gammon's "cursed officious meddling with Mr Titmouse's name before the mob after the stone had been thrown;" on hearing which, “Go on to the Hall, sir, dine, and get drunk if you choose," said Gammon, bitterly and peremptorily; “I shall remain here all night. Powerful as are your energies, they require relaxation after the fatigues of the day!" and with a very decisive, but not violent degree of force, Titmouse was in a twinkling in the outer committee-room. Mr Gammon had, indeed, as much serious work before him that night as Mr Crafty, and prepared for secret and decisive action every whit as calmly and effectively as he. Mr Crafty's arrangements were admirable. During the day he had parcelled out the borough into a number of small departments, each of which he committed to some steady and resolute friend of Mr Delamere, who was to look after every elector in his division about whom there was the least fear, in respect either of apprehended violent abduction, or of treachery. These gentlemen were to be relieved at intervals; and from one to the other of them, perpetually were the personal agents of Crafty to go their rounds, in order to see that all was right, and carry any intelligence to headquarters. Then others were intrusted with the ticklish and tiresome duty of watching the movements of the enemy in quarters where Crafty had sure information of intended operations during the night. Complete arrangements had been made, also, for bringing up voters to the poll at the exact times, and in the numbers, and in the manner, which might on the morrow be determined on by Mr Crafty. Names were noted down of those to whom the bribery oath was to be administered. Prudent as were these precautions, they did not entirely prevent the mischief against which they were levelled. As the night wore on, evidence was, from time to time, brought in to Mr Crafty that the enemy were at work-at their expected tricks ; e. g.

"Jacob Joliffe is missing. Wife says she knows nothing about him. Enquire."

"Send at least a couple of men to watch Peter Jiggins, or he'll be out of the way when he's wanted."

"Haste-haste.

G..Atkins and Adam Hutton, both safe ten minutes ago, are off; enticed out into a postchaise-gone towards York. (Half-past eleven.")

"Send some one to the Jolly Snobs to watch the treating going on. Most important. Mr Titmouse has been there, and drunk a glass of rum with them."

Then more mysterious missives made their appearance from Mr Crafty's own familiars.

“Q. C. S. H. O.—12.”—(i. e. "The Quaint Club still holds out.-Twelve o'clock.")

"Q. C. G. W.- past 1."—(i. e. "The Quaint Club are going wrong.-Half-past one o'clock,)

"S. B.; G. O. IF IT + WH. to 2."-(i. e. "I have seen Bran. Gammon offers ten pounds, in addition to the ten pounds already given.-They hesitate. A quarter to two o'clock.")

3

heard

& S. B. & M. w. B. O. Q. C.-12-3."—i. e. "Three of our people have just overheard and seen Bloodsuck and Mudflint, with Bran, offering the Quaint Club twelve pounds.-Three o'clock.")

“Q. C. G. R. w. Y. & C. T. T. Y. M. S. I.—4.”—i. e. “The Quaint Club are getting restive with you, and coming to terms with Titmouse. You must stir instantly.-Four o'clock.")

“AA.10 m. 4.-These mysterious symbols caused Mr Crafty instantly to bestir himself. He changed colour a little, and went into the adjoining room. The meaning of the communication was-Great danger to both parties.

In the adjoining room, where two candles were burning down in their very sockets, and the fire nearly out, were some four or five trusty friends of Mr Delamere-gentlemen who had placed themselves entirely at Mr Crafty's service throughout the night. When he entered, they were all nearly asleep, or at least dozing. Beckoning two of them into his own room, he instructed one of them to go and plant himself openly, as conspicuously as possible, near the door of Mr Titmouse's committee-room, so as not to fail of being recognized by any one leaving or entering it,

as a well-known friend of Mr Delamere's; in fact, they were to discover that their motions were watched. The other he instructed to act similarly opposite the door of a small house in a narrow court the residence, in fact, of Ben Bran, where all the night's negotiations with the Quaint Club had been carried on. Immediately afterwards, Mr Crafty felt it his duty, as between man and man, to warn his opponent of the mortal peril in which he was placed; and found means to convey the following note into the committee-room where Mr Gammon and one or two others were sitting:

"Take care!!

You are deceived! betrayed! Q. C. is sold out and out to the Blues!! And part of the bargain, that B. B. shall betray you into bribery in the presence of witnesses-not one man of the club safe; this have just learnt from the wife of one of them. From a well-wishing friend, but obligated to vote (against his conscience) for the Blues.

"P.S.-Lord D. in the town with lots of the needful, and doing business sharply."

While Mr Gammon and his companions were canvassing this letter, in came the two gentlemen who had been watched, in the way I have stated, from Ben Bran's house to Mr Titmouse's committee-room, pale and agitated, with intelligence of that fact. Though hereat Gammon's colour deserted his cheek, he affected to treat the matter very lightly, and laughed at the idea of being deluded by such boy's play. If Lord De la Zouch-said he had hired Crafty only to play tricks like these, he might as well have saved the trouble and expense. Here a slight bustle was heard at the door; and the ostler made his appearance, saying that a man had just given him what he produced to Mr Gammon; who, taking from the ostler a dirty and ill-folded paper, read as follows:

"To Squire Titmous. you Are All Wrong. the Blues is wide Awake All Night and nos all, Lord Dillysoush about with One hundred Spies; And look Out for traiters in the Camp. A friend or Enemy as you Will, but loving Fair Play."

"Poh!" exclaimed Gammon, flinging it on the table contemptuously.

Now, I

VOL. III.

may as well mention here, that about nine o'clock in

D

the evening, Mr Parkinson brought to Crafty sure intelligence that a very zealous and influential person, who was entirely in the confidence of the enemy, had come to him a little while before, and candidly disclosed the very melancholy position of his financial affairs; and Mr Parkinson happened to be in a condition to verify the truth of the man's statement, that there was a writ out against him for £250, and unless he could meet it he would have to quit the county before daybreak, and his very promising prospects in business would be utterly ruined. Mr Parkinson happened to know these matters professionally; and, in short, Crafty was given to understand, that so disgusted was Mr M'Do'em with Whig principles (his inexorable creditor being a Whig) and practices, such as the bribery, treating, and corruption at that moment going on, that—his conscience pricked him—and—ahem!—the poor penitent was ready to make all the amends in his power by discovering villany to its intended victims. Crafty, having felt the ground pretty safe underneath him, took upon himself to say, that Mr M'Do'em need be under no further apprehension as to his pecuniary liabilities; but, in the meanwhile, he would certainly wish for a little evidence of the bona fides of his present conduct.

"Come," quoth M'Do'em, after receiving a pregnant wink from Mr Crafty-" send some one whom you can rely upon with me immediately, to do as I bid him—and let him tell you.”

No sooner said than done. A trusty managing clerk of Mr Parkinson's forthwith acccompanied M'Do'em on a secret expedition.

*

*

They stood at a window with a broken pane. 'Twas a small illfurnished kitchen, and in the corner, close to the fire, sat smoking a middle-aged man, in a paper cap. Opposite to him sat two persons, in very earnest conversation with him. They were Mr Mudflint and Mr Bloodsuck junior.

“Come, come, that's decidedly unreasonable," quoth the former. "No, Sir, it a'n't. I'm an independent man!-It quite cut me to the heart, I 'sure you, sir, to see Master Delamere so dreadfully used-my good missus, that's in bed, says to mesays she

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"But what had Mr Titmouse to do with it, you know ?" said Mudflint, taking out of his pocket a bit of crumpled paper, at