do say, thee be'st a brave fellow, (and that I ben't a bad one) and that thee do deserve to have Lady Sary for thy pains. So, it be thy own fault, if thee dost not marry her; for she do love thee hugely, or there be liars in the tower."

"You brought me these papers to read, I presume; and how I can do that, while your tongue keeps running thus, I leave you to determine," said Travers.

"I do beg pardon! I had forgot myself. But, I hope, thee won't be defended at what I be going to say-I do think, if thee were to leave off twiddling with them peepers, and give thy mind to reading of ballots, thee would foind the benefat on 't."

"Ballad-reading?" cried Travers.

"Yes, sir; it be mortatiously hentertaining. I could read 'em from morning till night, and from night till morning; and, if thee would'st but teake the seame turn, ecod! we two could sing jewetts, and tryho's, internally; for I have a rare collation on 'em.

“From night till morn I teake my glass”—

"Silence!" cried his master, in a tone that the musical lacquey did not think proper to disobey; and who slunk out of the room, wishing all the headeaters of noosepeepers were hang'd.

Philip dismiss'd poor Humphry thus abruptly, on account of a paragraph which had caught his attention, and in which he felt a degree of interest. Had it not been for that, Hawbuck might have exercised his innocent prattle, until he had tired himself. His employer knew his loquacity proceeded more from ignorance than impertinence; and, as his attachment and fidelity were evident, it was only on certain occasions he check'd his propensity.

The paragraph, alluded to, ran thus:

"Lately died, at, an innkeeper, of the name of Williames; who, on his deathbed, confess'd having committed a murder on the body of one of his guests. The circumstances of the case are very uncommon.

"The deceased had put up at Williames's house, for the night; and having dropp'd some expressions which discover'd that he had property of great value about him, his

host form'd the design of robbing and murdering him. With this intent, he tried to get into his chamber, during the night; but, the door being lock'd, he was frustrated in that attempt. Nevertheless, he did not relinquish his abominable design; which chance, fatally, gave him an opportunity of accomplishing. The gentleman rose at an early hour, and saunter'd into the field, at the back of the house; where, with a book in his hand, he sat down beside a hay-stack.

"All this time the murderer confesses he was upon the watch; and, coming suddenly upon him, he thrust a pitch-fork into his body! rifled his pockets, and was making off. But, seeing a man enter the field, whose character was proverbially execrated, he paused, to ascertain what course he would take; and, to his very great satisfaction saw him make towards the spot where he had left the body, with the bloody instrument beside it. The man started at the sight-then knelt down, and appear'd to be stanching the blood; on which, Williames advanced to the spot, and, pretending great

surprise and horror, tax'd the other with the murder; who, far from being intimidated at the charge, or relaxing in his humane efforts, desired his accuser to lend what assistance he could to the gentleman, and that there was time, afterwards, to think of the murderer. Williames own'd he paid no attention to this remonstrance; but, without the least compunction, gave the alarm of murder, and the innocent man was secured. Circumstances went strongly against him: he was committed-triedcondemn'd-and executed! (Philip shudder'd) "whilst his infamous persecutor escaped with impunity, at the time. But the vengeance of an offended Deity, speedily, overtook him, ere he had time to enjoy much of his ill-gotten wealth; the remainder of which, we understand, has been restored to the legal heir of the deceased."

CHAPTER VIII.

"A wonderful discovery."

HOME.

IN the neighbourhood of Ravenglass castle stood a small, but handsome house, belonging to a Major Plunkett

"A veteran, bluff, and hardy soldier !"

whose family comprised one only daughter, about the same age as Lady Sarah, who was almost her sole companion. With this family, and that of the present Lord Neville, (her husband's uncle) Lady Neville still kept up a correspondence; while to the rest of the world she was as dead.

Major Plunkett call'd at the castle, one day, to congratulate the ladies on their fortunate preservation from the banditti; and