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at you upon the highroad, and you have the means of giving him his quietus, would you permit him to hammer his flint, and try his luck again? or should a brutal bully call you to the field, and you be so stupid as to accept the invitation, did you not endeavour to introduce half an ounce of lead into his person, and as contiguous to his watchpocket as could be done conveniently, were I next of kin, and you worth the expense of a "lunatico inquirendo," you should forthwith, by "twelve good men and true," be declared non compos, and I should have great pleasure myself in conducting you to the asylum.

The calm and holy submission with which Mr. Harding and his beautiful child heard me announce the dreadful calamity that appeared inevitable, did not desert them during the brief but painful interval of trial and uncertainty. Locked fondly in each other's arms, I found them standing in the dark apartment, waiting the dreaded issue. Confused by the uproar which had attended the attempt upon the chamber, and the onslaught from without, I had twice to announce their providential rescue, before they could be assured that they were in safety. The test of sorrow is sometimes bravely withstood by those to whom the agony of sudden joy proves fatal, and in this case, the tidings of their deliverance occasioned a greater shock than the announcement of previous danger. The father, with the assistance of the police-officer, with difficulty reached a chair-but the fair girl uttered a cry of delight, and fainted in my arms. I called aloud for help: the bustle had partially subsided, the hostess heard my summons, and hurried from the kitchen to assist me.

Pallid and corpse-like as the beautiful stranger looked who was resting on my bosom, the peaceful similitude of death might cause grief but not alarm. Mary Hamblyn's appearance, however, as she hung over Miss Harding was very different. She, too, was pale as marble; but the wildness of her flashing eyes, the writhing of her bloodless lips, the hurried action of every limb-all spake a "perturbed spirit," and a reason all but overthrown by excitement too great to bear. Although the frame was sadly shattered, courage almost incredible sustained herand wild and fierce as look and manner might be, her language was cool and collected. She took Miss Harding gently from my grasp, reclined her on a bench, directed me to bring water from the table-then, pointing to my bleeding arm, she said, in a low voice

"Go; get your wound bound up. I will watch the lady's recovery. 'Tis a sorry sight without. Another look at that loathsome wretch, who lies upon the floor, I think would have upset the little reason that now is left me. See! her eyes open. Go, sir: when your hurt is attended to, the lady will be able to thank you for her deliverance.'

I left the invalid to her care, and entered the kitchen for the first time since the affray. As Mary Hamblyn had described it, in truth it was a sorry sight. Stretched upon his back, and resting in a pool of blood, his features horribly convulsed, and his glassy eyes apparently turned upwards upon mine, the dead robber was extended; and, as his feet touched the threshold of the chamber-door, I was obliged to stride over the prostrate carcase of my enemy.

The huge fireplace had been heaped with bog-deal, and a red and brilliant blaze lighted the large room, and showed every thing distinctly. It was a scene that Salvator Rosa might have painted with effect. Another corpse was extended in the corner where the dead man had

fallen on his face, and ten or twelve others, on whose dejected countenances a savage desperation was marked, were seated in a group, all with pinioned arms, and several with gashed faces, which they had received in the mêlée. Morteeine Crassaugh was placed apart from the others, securely bound, and guarded; while the dark figures of the police, with green uniforms and bright appointments, formed a striking contrast to their gray-coated prisoners, and perfected a group which a painter might have happily used to depict a captive banditti.

The gendarmerie-for that term best describes an Irish police forcerespectfully made way for me, and I approached the chair on which the red landlord was seated.

It is amazing how rapidly the insolence of ruffianism yields, when calamity overtakes it. The cool assurance of Morteeine's address-the covert impudence he assumed when he used the mockery of deference to a stranger -all had departed; and the humiliated tone in which he addressed me now, when compared with the assured manner he had an hour ago exhibited, was singularly striking. His object was to impress upon all around, that in the violence recently committed, he was not only a party unconcerned, but a person who had opposed the attempt. While defending himself from suspicion, I opportunely came in, and the red landlord instantly appealed to me as a supporting witness.

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Captain," he said, "isn't it too bad for a man to be charged with a crime of which he's innicint as little Morteeine there! Pat Durneein"and he apostrophised the corpse of the dead brigand-"ye had a sudden and a bloody end. May the Lord rest y'er sowl! act and part, the deed was yours by which ye suffered, and it was myself that endeavoured to prevent it."

For once in his life, according to the Irish phrase, Morteeine Crassaugh "told truth and shamed the devil;" and I, who had overheard him remonstrate against the abduction of the lady, bore testimony to the assertion of innocence he was endeavouring to establish. A triumphant smile crossed the red landlord's face at the success of this appeal to me, but the look of exultation was short-lived.

"Morteeine," said a policeman! "It would be well if you could produce as good testimony as the captain's, in old Farmer's business. Tom Reynolds was caught last night, and in a trap of his own setting, too. Finding himself deserted by his friend the devil, he determined to play the same game, and give his old companions the go-by. He has split from first to last; and if a jury will believe him, he'll send two or three you know of to the gallows, and half a score across the sea."

Before the communication was ended, the smile faded from the face of the conscious criminal; and turning his eyes away, he gazed listlessly at the fire; and while my wound was being bandaged, a word never escaped his lips.

The bullet had passed through my arm, fortunately without injury to the bone. A tight ligature stopped the hæmorrhage-a handkerchief knotted at the neck, formed a convenient sling-and having repaired damages, and requested the police to throw a covering over the bodies, and remove the blood-marks from the floor, I rejoined my fellow-travellers in the inner room.

I had left Miss Harding in care of the pretty hostess, but during my absence their relative positions had changed; and when I returned, the

lady was lavishing the gentlest attentions on Mary Hamblyn, whose overpressed energies had at last given way, and the woman had resumed the mastery. Dissolved in tears, and sobbing as if every inspiration would announce a broken heart, still what a happier change her altered mood exhibited! Excitement, bordering upon insanity, had given a wild, almost a demoniac expression to features decidedly handsome as hers were now sorrow had softened it down, and in my life I never witnessed the seductive influence of woman's tears, until I joined in the exertions of the beautiful stranger, to soothe Mary Hamblyn's grief, and bid her to be comforted. In my

Another scene, and one in which I was chief actor, followed. absence from the room, Mr. Harding and his daughter had been fully acquainted with the extent of the danger they had so happily escaped. Both thanked me ardently; but what was the old man's gratitude, as he wrung my hand, and invoked Heaven's blessing on his preserver, to the silent eloquence with which his artless child turned her sweet eyes on mine, glanced at my wounded arm, and looked her sympathy and gratitude? It was a passage in a life never to be forgotten.

"I owe you, sir, more than can be imagined or expressed," she faltered, "a debt that'

"Thus is cancelled."

Circumstances annihilate conventional proprieties. I placed my lips to those of the blushing girl. Her father smiled and muttered something of "a poor reward for a wounded arm;" and Mary coloured to the brows, cast her eyes upon the floor, "but yet she chid not."

АH! do not go.

AH! DO NOT GO!

BY F. A. B.

Hark! how the bitter blast
Howls o'er the shuddering earth. Ah! do not go.
Lie in my lap, and I will hold thee fast,

And breathe soft sighs upon thy pillow'd brow.

Ah! do not go. From the murk midnight sky
The chilly rain falls like a funeral veil.
Stay with me, stay with me, belov'd! and I
Will rain warm kisses on thee till I fail.

Ah! do not go. Is not this bright warm rest
Better than dreary walking through the night?

Lock me in thy dear arms, and on my breast
Sleep, my belov'd, till rosy break of light.

BEAUCHAMP;

OR,

THE ERROR.

BY G. P. R. JAMES, ESQ.

CHAPTER XXIII.

IF you fix your eyes upon a distant hill in the month of April, in some countries, or May in others, there are a thousand chances to one, unless the goddess of the spring be very much out of humour, that you see first a golden gleam warm, as the looks of love, and next a deep blue shadow, calm and grand as the thoughts of high intellect when passion has passed away with youth. Perhaps the case may be reversed; the shadow come first and the gleam succeed just as you happen to time your look; but at all events, you will require no one to tell you-you will not even need to raise your face to the sky to perceive at once that the cause of this beau tiful variation of hues is the alternate sunshine and cloud of the spring heavens.

Over the mind and over the face of man, however, what clouds, what sunshine, what gleams, what shadows, will not come without any eye but an all-seeing one being able to trace the causes of the change. Thrice in one morning was the whole demeanour of Mr. Beauchamp totally altered. He descended to breakfast grave and thoughtful; an hour after he was gayer than he had been for years. By the side of Isabella Slingsby he remained cheerful; but before luncheon was over he had plunged again into a fit of deep and gloomy thought, and as soon as Ned Hayward, having taken some food and wine started up to mount his horse which was at the door, Beauchamp rose also, saying, "I want one word with you, Hayward, before you go."

"Directly, directly," answered Ned Hayward. "Good bye, Sir John, good bye, Miss Slingsby."

"Mind-day after to-morrow at the latest, Ned," cried the baronet. "Upon my honour," replied Hayward. "Farewell, Mrs. Clifford, I trust I shall find you here on my return."

"I fear not, Captain Hayward," replied the lady, "but you have promised, you know, to come over and-"

Nay, dear mamma, I think you will be here," said Mary Clifford, "I think for once I shall attempt to coax you."

Mrs. Clifford seemed some wat surprised at her daughter's eagerness to stay; but Sir John exclaimed joyously, "There's a good girl-there's a capital girl, Mary; you are the best little girl in the world; she'll stay, she'll stay. We'll get up a conspiracy against her. There, be off, Ned. No long leave-takings. You'll find us all here when you come back, just as you left us: me, as solemn and severe as usual, my sister as gay and jovial, Isabella as pensorous, and Mary as merry and madcap as ever."

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Ned Hayward, however, did not fail to bid Miss Clifford adieu before he went, and be it remarked, he did it in a somewhat lower tone than usual, and added a few words more than he had spoken to the rest. Beauchamp accompanied him to the door, and then pausing near the horse, inquired May.-VOL. LXXVII. NO. CCCV.

F

in a low tone, "Are you quite certain the man with whom you had the struggle this morning is the same who fired the shot last night?"

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Perfectly," answered Ned Hayward, "for I saw his face quite well in the sand-pit; and I never forget a face. I wish to Heaven you could catch him."

"Have you any

idea of his name?" asked Beauchamp.

"None in the world," replied Ned Hayward; "but there are two people here who must know, I think. One is young Wittingham, and the other is Ste Gimlet, otherwise Wolf. I have a strong notion this fellow was one of those attacking the carriage the other night. But that puts me in mind, Beauchamp, that I intended to go up and talk to Gimlet, but I have not time now. I wish you would; and just tell him from me, I will pay his boy's schooling if he will send him to learn something better than making bird-traps. You can perhaps find out at the same time who this fellow is, so it may be worth a walk."

"I will, I will," answered Beauchamp, "but you said the young ladies here had something to tell me. What is it?"

"I thought they had done it," replied Ned Hayward, " that is stupid! But I have not time now, you must ask them; good bye;" and touching his horse lightly with his heel, he was soon on his way to Tarningham.

Beauchamp paused for a moment on the steps in deep meditation, and then turned into the house, saying to himself, "This must be inquired into instantly." He found Sir John Slingsby in the luncheon-room, reading the newspaper, but nobody else, for the ladies had returned to the drawingroom, and two of them, at least, were looking somewhat anxiously for his coming. It very rarely happens that any one who is looked anxiously for ever does come; and of course, in the present instance, Beauchamp took the natural course and disappointed the two ladies.

"I have a message to deliver from Captain Hayward to your new keeper, Sir John," he said, "and therefore I will walk over to his cottage, and see him. An hour I dare say will accomplish it."

"It depends upon legs, my dear sir," answered the baronet, looking up. "It would cost my two an hour and a half to go and come; so if I might advise, you would take four. You will find plenty of hoofs in the stables, and a groom to show will be back the sooner, the you way. Thus you and the women will have something to talk to; for I must be busy-very busy-devilish busy, indeed. I have not done any business for ten years, the lawyer tells me, so I must work hard to-day. I'll read the papers, first, however, if Wharton himself stood at the door; and he is a great deal worse than Satan. I like to hear all the lies that are going about in the world; and as newspapers were certainly invented for the propagation of falsehood, one is sure to find all there. Take a horse, take a horse, Beauchamp. Life is too short to walk three miles and back to speak with a gamekeeper."

"Well, Sir John, I will, with many thanks," answered his guest, and in about a quarter of an hour he was trotting away towards the new cottage of Stephen Gimlet, with a groom to show him the way. That way was a very picturesque one, cutting off an angle of the moor and then winding through wild lanes rich with all sorts of flowers and shrubs, till at length a small old gray church appeared in view at the side of a little green. The

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