"God have mercy and protect him!" she exclaimed, falling upon her knees, and lifting her eyes to heaven, a prayer was whispered from the heart of a young, lovely, and doating woman. CHAPTER III. By how much unexpected, by so much We must awake endeavour for defence; "HIST!" exclaimed the old poacher, stopping suddenly, and turning an ear attentively to a particular quarter of the covert. "I thought I heard " "Out with your thoughts," interrupted his companion. "What on earth's the matter with ye! Have an eye to business, and leave your ears to shift for themselves." Peering upwards into the thick, dark shade of a fir tree, through which the pale silver rays of the moon streaked, he saw a pheasant stretching his long neck downwards, and peeping at the disturbers of his slumber. In an instant his gun was brought to bear—a flash-a roar, and down the gay-plumed bird plumped, fluttering in the last struggles of life. The deafening peal echoed through wood and dell, startling their denizens, and making them hurry from the scene of their fears. The wild pigeon whirred from her roost on the chosen topmost bough, and the drowsy rook reared his head reluctantly from beneath his broad, strong wing, and cawed hoarsely to his mate. The frightened hare pricked her long, sleek ears, and, with a palpitating heart, swept through briar and brake, while nimble rabbits skipped from cropping the short, palatable weed, and dived into burrows scooped deeply in many a bank and cozy nook. "What a noisy, blaring piece that is of yours," observed old Soaker, irritably. "One would think a powder magazine had burst." "Ha, ha, ha!" laughed his companion. "She is a smoker certainly," continued he, reloading his gun; "but her roar is music to me." "Like all women," rejoined old Soaker, "her charms would be increased tenfold, to my mind, if she was dumb as a pebble." At this moment one of the terriers gave a deep, inward growl. "There's something amiss," whispered the ratcatcher between his teeth, and clutching hold of his friend's arm. "A strange foot's within hearing, I know,-eh, Trim?" The query was addressed to the dog, who again issued a grumble of dissatisfaction. "Let's hold back, Ned," said his master, anxiously. "I'm certain there's a screw loose. Trim is never wrong." Ned stooped his head to the ground, and, resting on one hand, listened for a few seconds without drawing his breath. "I tell you this, Bob," said he, springing from his recumbent posture, my hearing is as good as Trim's. There's no footfall within the compass of his lugs or mine; and the fact is," continued he, "you're not worth the salt to your porridge to-night. You were frightened before we burnt a grain of powder, and now that we only have just done so, you fancy every stick and hedge must hide a keeper." "Listen to that dog," returned old Soaker, as the terrier hung at his heels snarling and whining, with every hackle staring upon "Listen to that dog, Ned," re his back. peated he. "Listen and be damn'd!" exclaimed his companion, striding onwards; and, again levelling his gun, another pheasant fell dead from his perch. "I shall back out for a short time," said the ratcatcher, "and see what comes o' this." "And I'll work in the meantime," replied his companion, with a jeering laugh. "But all shall be yours while I'm idle," |