GUY LIVINGSTONE.



  -I think you'd look very well with a cross on,
Count," Baines said, " so keep steady while we deco-
rate you."
  As he spoke he was mixing up a paste with tallow
and candle-snuff, and, when it was ready, came near to
daub the cross on Livingstone's forehead.
  The two who held him had been quite deceived by
his unexpected tranquillity, and had somewhat relax-
ed their gripe as they leaned forward to witness the
operation; but the fourth, standing idle, saw all at
once the pupils of his eyes contract, and his lips set
so ominously, that the words were in his mouth,
"Hold him fast !" when Guy, exerting the full force
of his arms, shook himself clear, and grasping a brass-
candlestick within his reach, struck the executioner
straight between the eyes. The effort of freeing him-
self to some extent broke the force of the blow, or the
great Baines dynasty might have ended there and
then; as it was, Buttons fell like a log, and, rolling
once over on his face, lay there bleeding and motion-
less.
  While the assistants were too much astounded to
detain him, Guy walked out without a glance at his
prostrate enemy; and going straight to the head of
the house, told him what had happened. The charac-
ter of the aggressor was so well known, that, when
they found he was not seriously hurt, they let Guy off
easy with "two books of the Iliad to write out in
Greek." Buttons kept the sick-room for ten days,
and came out looking more pasty than ever, with his
pleasant propensities decidedly checked for the time.
  In his parish church at Birmingham, two tons of



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