ment had I found in that slow, deliberate crunching of packed snow as the clumsy bobsleds crawled up one side of a hummock and pitched down the other into the rut, where it seemed doubtful how they should ever get out again.

enlivening bells that seemed ringing for my wedding, with the Tadmors, vis-à-vis, shrunk to such proportions under a perfect herd of buffaloes, yet looking so comfortable, that both the sleigh and my heart felt none the heavier for them.

I suppose I had looked to see how late it was At intervals throughout this day, like the twenty times between three o'clock and the tav- last, the nervousness of nearing my goal, and ern where we lay by. First, I took my Tobias the responsibility of two such unparalleled exout of the right-hand pocket and consulted that. amples of chronometry, sent me down into my Then I suddenly remembered that I had not pockets like a diver for submerged treasures, wound Lucy's Geneva; so out came that and bringing up now the cargo of the John Loring, got its wants attended to. I had scarcely re- and now the cargo of the Lucy Ann. If Pa turned that to the left-hand pocket before it and Ma Tadmor nudged each other it was only occurred to me to see how it ran with the To-known to the buffaloes; but several times again bias-then they both came out and got compared. Every time I yawned as if I would swallow some particularly tiresome fence-post which had consumed a quarter of an hour in the vain attempt to crawl behind us out of sight, out came one of the gold watches-sometimes the right hand, sometimes the left, just as it chanced. Not until I sat at the supper-table and wound my own Tobias for the night with a peremptory British sound calculated to monopolize attention like a bark-mill, did I observe that my movements had become an object of interest to both the Tadmors; but as I put the golden warming-pan to my ear, with all the anxiety as to the integrity of its works natural to earliest possession, I observed the pair ey-gree of the sturdy bays that composed his team, ing each other and myself significantly. This sign, however, the buoyancy of youth and opulence interpreted only as a silent tribute of admiration to the young man who could travel with such a master-piece in each of his vest-side of Cambridge Course"-and, well, if I had pockets.

Standing at the tavern door, in a prophetic aroma of coffee and slap-jacks, just tempered by the bracing air into something masculine and inspiriting, I resolved, before the Tadmors were rung down to breakfast, that I would shorten my journey Lucy-ward by hiring a private team. Having instant recourse to the landlord I struck a bargain for the use of his own horses, a double sleigh, plenty of buffaloes, and an Irishman to drive back the outfit from North Betterton, where, in the present fine state of sleighing, we might reasonably hope to arrive, with one more night-halt, on the next morning about eight hours in advance of the stage.

At breakfast the coffee was so good, the Tadmors looked so pinched and small, and my own bosom expanded with such a generous love for the human race inclusive of them, that I invited them to take the vacant seats in my double sleigh. I put the offer on the ground of my compassion for the sick daughter-in-law but I suspect that Lucy, and the desire of exhibiting her lover, when he should come to be disclosed, in a character of lordly munificence, had far the more influential share in my proposition. It was gladly accepted, after sufficient hesitation to save appearances; and for the rest of the day I slid merrily along behind

I fancied that I caught their admiring glance. They continued to grow so fast in my estimation as an observant and sensible couple, whom my earliest prejudices had entirely wronged, that I could not refrain from the slight testimonial of my appreciation involved in paying for their dinners where we stopped to bait at noon-a proceeding feebly contested by Mr. Tadmor, who skirmished for a moment with his moleskin stocking-end, then returned it to his pocket as in despair against finding in such an insignificant shepherd's pouch any pebble to contend against such a Goliath of generosity. When I made my contract with him the landlord had intrusted me not only with the pedi

but with numerous personal incidents throwing light on their remarkable prowess. I "didn't know Jim Tuttle? Well, that was a pity, for there wasn't a man that 'cute about horses this

known him, "them 'ere hosses could beat any thing Jim Tuttle ever drove.” Was I ever over to Piggott's Hill? No? "Well, guess. if you'd ever pulled up that wet clay piece on the west side, guess you'd knock under on hills ever arter;" and, "well, them there hosses had took three ton to the top without breathing! Why, as to speed-well, speed-" The landlord paused with the air of a man who is about to commit himself dangerously by statistics which might tempt me to ruin a valuable span with overdriving, and sighed as he mentioned the low figure at which all these admirable qualities were to be thrown in. One piece of gymnastics, however, of which the nigh-bay was capable, the landlord forgot to speak of, and that noble animal himself scorned to mention it until about an hour after we had left our dining-place, and were thirty-five miles from his master's stable.

We were sliding merrily along as we had been all the morning when the sleigh whirled into the unbroken snow at the right of the road, and the off-horse nearly shot himself out of his harness, brought to a sudden check by the singular behavior of his partner. Right in the midst of his stride the latter animal had begun operating one of his hind-legs as if taken with the sudden hallucination that it was a trigger and he a new patent in fire-arms which it was

"Shure an' can't a man go to Canady with- | only you couldn't eat waffles all night; under out a double sleigh ?" the circumstances, however, waffles seemed a

"Not on my business," said Peter, dropping | reckless levity. into a tone of mysterious solemnity. "There's others a-goin' with me, and there's plenty more'd give all their old shoes to be along if they only knew what was up. I know one fellow, up Boston way, who'd throw both his eye-teeth in to boot! He! he! he! I'd like to see him when he finds it's done and all over without him!"

A terrible shiver passed through me. In an instant I saw through it all. Oh that I had trusted to my first intentions! That I had not been lulled into security! Fool, fool that I was-I had even volunteered to carry by special express to Peter Dagon two of his fellowconspirators! This very night they would meet to hatch the details of their accursed plot; and to-morrow my innocent, unsuspicious darling was to be spirited away into Canada. Ah! you'd like to see that fellow from up Boston way, would you, Peter Dagon? And so you shall; but not "when it's over without him." No, Peter, not by a long shot, my boy!

To my utter surprise, Peter did not come. It was impossible that he should not have seen his aunt and uncle registered just above me, and he knew me not only by name but by face. Had I not spent the last year's Thanksgiving with Lucy, and made fun of his bass all anthemtime, on the generally-received theory that he had spent the previous night under a bridge to give catarrhal increase to his lower register; and had not he sung "Lift up your heads, O ye Gates!" with a special, private scowl at me, as if he hoped that when they slammed I might have my finger in the crack?

The mockery of supper over, Providence still mysteriously warding off Peter in my behalf, Mrs. Tadmor repaired with her knitting to the parlor-stove and rocking-chair, while Mr. Tadmor acted on the idea that he would stretch his legs and look around a little, I preserving the most affectionate propinquity to him, that if possible I might obviate Peter unto the end. Lord Harry! If for the next hour I could only have made a blind man of him and been his dog!

Singularly enough in the bar-room, in the entry, and on the steps I several times saw Peter at a distance; but he seemed as anxious to avoid us as I to have him, invariably slink

casual door. But the insane recklessness with which that Tadmor exposed his own personality and my reputation was such that before my cigar was half out the relatives cornered each other by the general wash - basin and met face to face. The elder gentleman said his cordial how-d'yedo? after the first surprise with a grin like a freshset rat-trap; but to my amazement Peter seemed very much taken aback, and said:

"You here, Uncle Ebenezer!" in a tone which indicated that he would have much preferred Guinea or Halifax. "Mr. Ephraita Robinson from Holmes's Hole," added Mr. Tadmor, turning to me directly after the salutation-"my nephew, Mr. Peter Dagon, of North Betterton."

I was looking around for something to brain him with conveniently, when he backed out of the stable again, and reason resumed her sway. I must act coolly; either Peter Dagon must not get to North Betterton to-night, or I must be there before him. But how-how? Resolving to give to calm deliberation half the hour during into some convenient shadow or out of some ing which the horses must stop to bait, I struck at once into a brown study and the path that led back to the tavern. So fully absorbed that even the glare of the bar-room did not recall me, I was about to sit down with a cigar, forgetful of the fact that I had not supped, when the landlord's voice broke my reverie with, "Tea's ready-please enter your name”—and his hand at the same time thrust the book under my nose, the quill into my hand. Taking the latter perfunctorily, as I relapsed into rumination, I signed myself in full-"JOHN LORING, Boston"-then put my cigar up and sauntered out into the dining-room. Just as I crossed the threshold a lank, shiny image emerged on my right hand, from a group of farmers talking sheep together around the bar-room stove, and sidled up to the counter which walled off the landlord. It was Peter Dagon; and not until I saw him lean over the ledger in which I had just entered myself for supper did I realize what a frightful mistake had been made by Mr. Ephraim Robinson of Holmes's Hole! Too aghast to speak I plunged into my place at table, opposite the already seated Tadmors. I remembered that my name was written directly under theirs, and drank three cups of inferior tea in scalding succession without adding caloric to the chill perspiration in which I sat, momently expecting Peter Dagon to welcome his connections, and take me into the recognition by my veritable name. The place was celebrated for its waffles; as Lucy used to say, it would have been a real nice place to stop at,

"Mr.-Ephraim-Robinson-of-Holmes's Hole ?" replied Peter, with a mouth that could scarcely open wide enough to let out his bewilderment; "why, I thought—”

"I'm glad to hear," said I, plunging for dear life into an entire kaleidoscopic change of the subject, "that after all your trouble you've succeeded in getting a double sleigh for your Canada trip."

"Canady? Can-ady? Peter, you don't mean to say-"

Mr. Dagon's red eyes shot a phosphorescence at me which might have withered me had it been true fire, then unresistingly let his uncle lock arms with him. At such a family interview I could be no manner of assistance. I excused myself. There was no time to lose; the decisive hour had come; and I was playing for

high stakes.

No wonder Peter had not wished pole-ourselves and the precious portmanteau to encounter his uncle in my presence. It was of wedding raiment under the buffaloes; the all as I supposed. Returning to the stable-whole equipage on the road to North Betterton, yard I soon found Teddy Bralligan. He had and its paid bill behind it-with no suspicion in been taking Peter's team to the trough, and the driver's mind and no knowledge of our going was on his way back with them to the stalls. in any body. For the first moment since the "Bralligan," said I, "have you had your Tadmors befell me I breathed absolutely free supper ?" again. Now and then Bralligan would make

"Sorrah the bit! I'm that empty ye might some remark of congratulation on the sudden play Garryowen on me shtummick."

"Well, go and get it directly. Whist now, and keep a secret; you know Mr. Dagon?" "Like me mother,"

"Don't breathe a word of it, but he's brought me news that makes it necessary for me to go on to North Betterton immediately. The other gentleman and the lady will come on with him in the morning. Just as soon as you get through your tea come out and put the team into the sleigh again, and if we can start out of the yard here without any body in the house knowing it-"

"Shure an' I can't kill the bastes! It's twenty-five miles further to North Betterton, and I'll be blamed entirely."

"Well, you can stand a good deal of blame for five dollars-here it is in your hand; and if you get us off quietly within half an hour, there's more where that came from."

cure of the nigh-beast, or say that he drew unusually strong to-night; but until I had forgotten time, space, every thing save Lucy, through more than three hours of serene gliding under the stars on a splendidly packed road-till we had drawn rein in the barn-yard of Uncle George, with whom I had promised, if ever coming on such an errand, to pass the night— till he actually picked up the horse's feet to rid them of their snow-balls and saw the difference of the shoes-not a question of his team's identity entered Bralligan's mind. Then his amazement knew no bounds; and I went to bed after a cordial welcome from the dear old man, leaving Bralligan in a metaphysical discussion with the house-maid upon the subject of witchcraft. I believe that he finally settled on the theory of the horse having untied and changed himself to better his condition-Foster being notoriously of more expanded ideas than Peter Dagon on With the air of Mr. Henry Bergh submitting the subject of oats. If Mr. Buckland wishes to some supernatural pressure, Teddy consent-this instance of animal sagacity for his next ed to "kill the bastes" for me, and do it quiet- book, Bralligan is still living and can give him ly. Scarcely had he haltered Peter's horses to the facts. their rack and rushed kitchenward to make a rapid dash at his own-I accompanying him and making a feint of returning to the barroom to secure a good alibi-when I was back at the stable, lanternless, but inspired by a most luminous idea. I remembered hearing Bralligan say that his horses were so much alike he always stalled them as he drove them, off left side, nigh right ride, so that he could harness them in their regular position at any hour of the night; and this directed me at once to the place of that unsuccessful piece of fire-arms which had been playing snap-cap on us all the afternoon, Old Stringhalt. I had seen Bralligan hitch Peter's team in the stalls immediately adjoining my choreic horse, on the right. I felt about in the dark till I reached the two middle stalls, and there, on the principle that a fair exchange was no robbery, swapped horses. If you don't call it fair, recollect that I afterward learned of Peter's having once exchanged the entire pair of teams with the landlord who owned mine, and had to take his own back, after a lawsuit, on the ground that as an ornamental accomplishment stringhalt was far preferable to heaves. I must testify, however, to that member of the team which I got that he was sound in wind and limb, for between that tav-"I ern and North Betterton I tested both! Though I waited with fear and trembling, and could never feel sure I was giving Bralligan little enough of the lantern I was holding for him -he had both the new-matched beasts to the

After freeing my mind of my errand with Uncle George's approval, I lay for a time which I could not measure in such heavenly repose that there was no telling where perfect sleep hinged on to pleasant dreams. I only know by both watches under my pillow that it was two o'clock in the morning when I woke out of what seemed to be a bombarded city, to in terpret the thunder of the shells by a number of very audible fists pounding at my chamberdoor. I leaped up, lighted my candle, and threw the door open. With a face full of stern, reproachful sorrow, and lamp in hand, Uncle George stood there, flanked by a couple of those bustling nobodies whose mutton-heads and awful sense of responsibility are in my experience the main adornment of our rural constabulary.

"Don't shoot unless he resists," said the smallest man, valiantly encouraging Uncle George to enter by a mild push from behind.

The other looked at me with an ominous shake of the head as if he'd like to see me try it, and the behavior of both was so extraordinary that my entire first exclamation was limited to,

"Well ?"

66

Oh, Jack!" said Uncle George, mournfully, never thought this of you."

"I don't believe he ever did it!" said Lucy's pretty little cousin Sue, who had run up from bed in her night-gown, and now on tip-toe behind her father made her first appearance.

The intuitions of a woman, allowing even, as

"Nor that he goes round hung all over with Uncle George gently stole up the stairs into my people's watches," said the smallest.