An accident, I believe, has happened to Sir Robert Whitecraft that will prevent his being a party in the ceremony, for this day at least." "An accident!" exclaimed the ladies and the clergyman.

"Pray, Mr.
Folliard, what is it?
how did it happen ?" "I am just going to ride over to Sir Robert's to learn everything about it," he replied; "I will be but a short time absent.

But now!" he added, "here's his butler, and I will get everything from him.

Oh, Thomas, is this you?
follow me to my study, Thomas." As the reader already knows all that Thomas could tell him, it is only necessary to say that he returned to the drawing-room with a sad and melancholy aspect.
"There is no use," said he, addressing them, "in concealing what will soon be known to the world.

Sir Robert Whitecraft has been arrested on a charge of murder and arson, and is now a prisoner in the county jail." This was startling intelligence to them all, especially to the parson, who found that the hangman was likely to cut him out of his fees.
The ladies screamed, and said, "it was a shocking thing to have that delightful man hanged;" and then asked if the bride-elect had heard it.
"She has heard it," replied her father, "and I have just left her in tears; but upon my soul, I don't think there is one of them shed for him.