ND, behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue" (Luke viii. 41). This man came to Jesus when he was in the house of Matthew-so we learn from the context in St. Matthew's Gospel. The name of the ruler is mentioned by Luke and Mark, who wrote their Gospels while the ruler was, in all probability, still alive; certainly some members of his family who could have remembered the incident were, and so the truth and accuracy of the narrative could have been easily tested. St. Matthew merely indicates the man by calling him "a certain ruler." St. Luke gives the further explanation, "a ruler of the synagogue." Bearing in mind that St. Matthew wrote for the Jews and St. Luke for the Gentiles, we can comprehend that the Jews would understand what was meant by a ruler," they being acquainted with all the details of their own church arrangements; whereas the Gentiles would require the further explanation given by St. Luke. The "ruler" had charge of the synagogue, to see the worship orderly carried on there.

"And he fell down at Jesus' feet." Although prostration is common in the East, it was only practised by one of inferior rank to the one to whom he offered this show of homage; and so it has been remarked that this falling down on the part of the ruler of the synagogue must be taken as an evidence of his acknowledgment of the Divine power in Christ, for merely regarded as two Jews, Jairus was of higher rank than he.

For he had one only daughter, twelve years of age, and she lay a dying." Similar to this is the account given by St. Mark, who agrees with St. Luke in representing the child as still alive when the ruler came first to Jesus, and then that tidings of her death reached her father while he was conversing with our Lord. St. Matthew, however (ix. 18), says, " Behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live." It is evident that Mark and Luke relate the entire scene in detail, while Matthew, as is often his custom in his Gospel, condenses it, and records only the conclusion of the scene, omitting the first entirely, though the use of the words "even now dead" would seem to imply that something had gone before.

semane, and now at this raising of the dead. It has been remarked also that upon these three our Lord bestowed surnames. Peter he called Cephas (John i. 42), and James and John he surnamed Boanerges.

"And all wept, and bewailed her." The word translated bewailed" means to "beat oneself." On the occasion of a death in the East, crowds of mourners assembled, and howled and shrieked and smote themselves in token of their grief. If poor, the Israelite, had two minstrels, and one to lament.

"She is not dead, but sleepeth." She is not dead in any sense that could justify all this frantic sorrow, and this apparently hopeless grief. She is taking rest; she is unconscious, indeed, but she shall soonas all shall eventually-awake. Sleep and death are alike in that the body is in both apparently unconscious-that both seem like the taking of rest after work and weariness, and that both shall be followed by a waking to more vigorous life and activity. If an ordinary performer of wonders and signs had been present at such a scene, his great object would have been to prove and call attention to the fact of the girl being dead, so as to magnify his miracle. Not so, however, Christ, who wanted to teach truths about life and death, as well as to perform miracles.

They laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead." Perhaps these hired mourners began to tremble for their gains, and thought that Jesus was maintaining that the girl was only in a swoon, whereas they knew she was dead, and would have been sorry were it not so.

"And took her by the hand." This was to show that he was the cause of her arising from the dead.

"And her spirit came again." There is something interesting in the fact that this remark is made only by St Luke, who was a physician, and not by the other Evangelists. It was of great importance that the Gentiles, for whom St. Luke specially wrote, should understand that Christianity gave no counte nance to their strange and erroneous ideas of death, but that Christ's followers regarded death as the departure of the spirit immediately to another place—a place of sorrow or of joy; and believed the possibility of its being united to its own body again.

way, he stepped forward in time to pick up a small brush which the fair artist had just dropped, this incident serving the double purpose of enabling him to play off a little gallantry, while it spared him some embarrassment in making his presence known. Before she could stoop to pick up the brush, it was handed to her with a bow and a smiling-" Allow me, Miss Grant."

He enjoyed her involuntary start of surprise when she turned and saw him; enjoyed, also, the pretty shy look of recognition that met him in the great dusky brown eyes, which he thought at that moment were the finest he had ever seen. He began a graceful apology for his intrusion, explaining that he wished to see Mr. Darley on business.

Bessie timidly replied that her uncle was out, but expected to return every minute. She did not think he would be later than half-past one, as he had promised to be back at that hour. This information was received with secret satisfaction, which Cyril could scarcely help betraying in his manner. He looked at his watch, exulting in the discovery that it was only just one o'clock. If the old man did not return until half-past, he had thirty golden minutes at his disposal, which only wanted a little tact and management for him to turn to good account with this fresh child of nature, who was beginning to interest and attract him to herself, independent of the heiress-ship which had made her a matrimonial prize more desirable to win than either of the Honourable Misses Appleby, with their aristocratic birth and high family connections. Cool, cautious Cyril, with his polished manners and elegant speech, had just the qualities required to make him master of the position, and the ability to render them available. Five minutes sufficed to make the young lady feel quite at ease with the visitor who had presented himself in such impromptu fashion. She forgot her shyness in the interest with which she listened while he talked, as Cyril Chadburn could talk when he cared to exert himself. He was elated at the favourable impression which he felt that he was producing upon the fair girl. Even if he did not succeed in seeing Lewis Darley, he would be satisfied with what he had gained that morning.

He had not over-estimated the advantage which he was making in Bessie's favour. To one like her, secluded from society, with so few opportunities for comparing character, the courteous, high-bred Cyril could not fail to be invested with certain powers of attraction. Everything he said was so exquisitely adapted to the refined sensitiveness of his listener, that Bessie scarcely realised the gentleman was paying her compliments, even though his whole bearing was breathing that quiet homage which is of the subtler kind, like the fine under-current of flattery which his words so delicately disguised.

He had not failed to notice the rose in her hair, and knew that it was one that had been sent from

Chadburn Court (for previous to leaving England he had himself chosen several of the flowers, and that was one of them. He had selected it for its exquisite beauty, both as to form and colour), and his mental comment was, "That is a good omen-it could not have a fitter place."

Bessie caught the direction of his glance, and her face flushed painfully, for she had noticed the strange gratified expression that passed over his face, and an indefinable feeling crept over her as she listened to the well-modulated voice. Cyril had noticed her confusion, and with his usual tact endeavoured to put her at ease, which he ultimately succeeded in doing, though occasionally he would bring back the colour by

a word or look.

In the course of conversation her picture was discussed and criticised by Cyril, with that mixture of nicely-qualified praise which is sure to be most acceptable to a young aspirant. He had just been asking her if she had noticed the scenery about Chadburn Court, and expressing his opinion that it was rich in material for landscape sketehes, was endeavouring to prove it by describing several views which he thought likely to reward attention, adding, with a peculiar modulation of his voice, That is presuming you could be induced so far to honour Chadburn, Miss Grant. There is the vale at East End, which would alone repay a visit, and would make a magnificent picture. Then there is the castle-old Chadburn Castle-how I wish that I had eloquence enough to prevail upon you to sketch it! I am sure you would not—”

Here he was interrupted. A thin, keen voice, which he was not slow to recognise, cut sharply across his words.

"Bless me, Mr. Chadburn; this is unexpected! I thought you were in France."

At the same moment the figure of the old man, whose silent approach neither of the two had noticed, threw its dividing shadow between him and Bessie, followed by the young doctor, Gerald Darley, whose presence made a bitter addition to Cyril's chagrin and disappointment, and he muttered to himself, "Confound the fellow. I was right; he is after Miss Grant. I am glad I have seen her first; but there is no occasion for fear. That rose would not have occupied such a prominent place if she had been indifferent to me."

So he could afford to be gracious to both the uncle and nephew.

CHAPTER XXIX.

ON THE TRACK.

"WHEN are we due, Nield ?"

"Four-forty, according to Bradshaw." "Shall we do it?"

"Yes; don't see what is to hinder us. We did the run to Rugby in splendid time, considering the delay at Bletchley."

This colloquy was exchanged between two gentlemanly-dressed men, both thin, sallow-complexioned, and middle-aged. They were passengers from London, and the only occupants of their compartment, with the exception of a very deaf old gentleman, whose personality could scarcely be said to count, as he made a coverlet of his pocket-handkerchief on the train leaving Euston, and resigned himself to perfect oblivion of external objects in a doze that was apparently intended to last to the end of his journey. The two men were evidently friends, bound to the same destination, and travelling on the same errand, whether of business or pleasure. They had also a common interest in the refreshments which had been liberally circulated between them.

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to single our man out from the rest of the passengers ? Are you sure he is not hoaxing us?" "I am."

"Well, I'm glad to hear it, Nield; but there is not much dependence to be placed on Dawson. Let us hear how it happened."

Nield smiled, and gave his companion a look that implied all the consciousness of superior knowledge, as he said, "The truth was, Marshall, Sam Dawson had, as usual, some unpleasant matters that made it inconvenient for him to stay in London. Accordingly, he seems to have disguised himself as a sailor, and took a ticket for Chesterdale. He took it into his head that our man was a detective——”

At this point of the explanation a slight move

With this invitation, the man who had been addressed as Nield pushed towards his companion a leather bag containing the said viands, to which he had just been paying his own respects.

"Thanks, Nield; I've had enough to satisfy me for the next couple of hours. But with regard to this affair, do you think we shall have any success ?" "No doubt of it."

"Then you make sure we are on the right track this time?"

"Yes; we have the scent clear enough, even if he doubles like a hare, or shows as many tricks as a fox; no fear we shall run him to cover one of these fine days when he least expects it. This is how the case stands."

"Mind what you say, Nield; you know we are not alone." And the man Marshall pointed his caution by an expressive nod of his head in the direction of the sleeper, who was emitting audible sounds of nasal oratory.

The more confident Nield replied, "Pooh! Marshall; we are safe as far as the old gentleman is concerned-he's harmless as a dummy. Well, as I was saying, a person answering our description was seen to take a railway-ticket at Euston on a certain date; name of place booked to down in our notebook. Said individual travels down in the same train with a suspicious-looking party in a sailor's dress, who has given a good deal of trouble at Bow Street. You know who I mean."

"Ah! now I know where you've got your information. Sam Dawson was dressed in sailor's clothes when he was captured."

"Just so."

"Then I suppose you got the clue from Gibbs ?" "You are right; I did. But it was Dawson who really put it into our hands, quite unconsciously on his part. They got down at the same station." "Ha! that was rather curious. Did Dawson know our man beforehand ?"

pause; while Mr. Marshall, who, having his back to the sleeping man, had not noticed the movement, exclaimed, "Mistook him for a detective! When he told that he confessed his guilt. But, there; excuse me interrupting you, Nield. Go on; I am impatient to hear the end."

Nield pointed towards the sleeper, saying, “I thought he was awake. But it's all right; for I believe he said something about being very deaf."

"Yes; he did. I had to shout to make him hear me; but go on."

"Well, it appears that when Dawson got down at Chesterdale, the supposed detective got down too, and D. bolted into a vacant waiting-room; and after lying close, as he called it, for a considerable time, thought to make his escape, when another train had arrived, and was disgorging itself. Unfortunately for Dawson, Gibbs had come by that train, and saw him come out of the waiting-room, and pounced upon him in an instant. It was a neat stroke of business for Gibbs; he's about as clever a hand as any in the force."

"So he is, Nield. But about our own man; what made you think of applying to Gibbs ?"

"This is how it was: Dawson, in his surprise, pointed to the man he had taken for a detective, and asked, 'Is that fellow after me as well?' Of course Gibbs was surprised, and took note of the fellow, and saw him addressed by a white-headed old gentleman. Well, I met Gibbs the other day, and was telling him that we had lost all trace of our man, and fortunately I chanced to show him the description we have of him. Gibbs at once declared it was the man he had seen at the Chesterdale station, and told me all about Dawson's mistake. Yesterday I got permission to see him, and he corroborated Gibbs's statement as to the man answering to our description."

"Is that all ?" queried Marshall, dubiously. "They are rather loose links to fit into a chain; but suppose we must make the best of them." Just so. But from Dawson's description, I feel confident we are on the right track, Marshall.”

I

"No."

"Then doesn't it strike you as being odd for him