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It was toward evening of the next day that the door of my prison

was opened, and twoindividual of a melancholy cast of feature,

who, despite the season, rapped in a long frieze coat

reaching almost to his heels, from the pocket of which projected

a short staff, or truncheon He came forith his hands in

his pockets, and his bony chin on his breast, looking at me under

the brim of a someeather-beaten hat--that is to say, he

looked at my feet and et any higher

His co ht,

appraising eye

"S'elphis saturnine friend,

"s'elp me, if I ever see a pore misfort'nate cove ed--twelve stone if a

pound--a five-foot drop now--or say five foot six, an' 'e'll go

off as sweet as a bird; ah! you'll never feel it, htish round the windpipe, p'r'aps--but, Lord,

it's soon over You're lookin' a bit pale round the gills, young

cove, but, Lord! that's only nat'ral too" Here he produced frolittered beneath