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is bad news for you, sir," said George Copeland to Mr. Hammond. "There has been an accident with the spring-cart."

"What! nothing happened to Rattler?"

"No; Rattler is all right, but he took fright and dashed off the road wildly till he came against a stump, and the gentleman that was coming here has been thrown out."

"Is he hurt?" said Mrs. Hammond.

"He is dead, ma'am, quite dead. Tom Cross says he never gave a movement after he had the fall, and when Allan came up to them he was quite dead."

"Good God!" said Mr. Hammond; "how unfortunate! What a terrible business this is. Killed on the spot! What was Tom thinking of to let Rattler play such a trick? I never knew that horse shy before. It was lightning,