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“Yes, yes, General," said Colonel Pennington, you have cause for thankfulness; but remember to keep a sharp look-out. Those who undertake the charge of women have always more to do than they can well manage."

"I am too happy to be angry with you, my good friend; so good-night, or rather good-morning, for the bad night has passed away, thanks be to Heaven !"

CHAPTER VII.

There is a history in all men's lives,
Figuring the nature of the times deceased;
The which observed, a man may prophesy,

With a near aim, of the main chance of things
As yet not come to life.

SHAKSPEARE.

THE conjectures and probable reasons assigned for the outrage, formed an ample and interesting topic of discourse the next day, among all the domestics, as well as the masters of the family; but no satisfactory conclusion was the result of these their various opinions; and all that could be learned was, that the vessel, which had been hovering about in the Reach for some days, was seen beating out against wind and tide, at early dawn, and as the breeze freshened, and the tide turned, was soon out of sight.

The body of " The Gentle Shepherd" was of course found where it dropped, and a coroner's inquest called to ascertain the cause of his death. Few persons indeed cared about it, except to rejoice at the event; for he was the terror of all the country people in the neighbourhood, who had looked upon him with superstitious dread.

The General, who had hardly closed an eye all night, was aroused to a fresh sense of anxiety, by finding that the shock Lady Emily had undergone, together with exposure to the night air, had produced considerable fever; and though she endeavoured to make light of her indisposition, to avoid giving him pain, he saw directly through the kindness of the motive, but could not be deceived. He besought her, therefore, not to attempt getting up, and recommended her keeping herself perfectly quiet, comforting her at the same time, by saying "Lord Mowbray, I am happy to tell you, is going on as well as possible; and the surgeon assures us, that in a few days he will be able to go about as usual. We have every possible cause for thankfulness; and I do intreat, my dearest and best, that you will yield to my wishes,

and take care of yourself, in order that we may all meet in comfort shortly."

Lady Emily was compelled to yield to this tender solicitude, not only from motives of obedience, but real illness; and during some days, the General had little else to do than pass from the chamber of one of the invalids to the other, and comfort them by the favourable accounts which he mutually conveyed. To each he softened the sufferings of the other: the kind words of Lady Emily, and her undisguised solicitude, thus faithfully reported to Lord Mowbray, proved greater emollients to soothe pain, than any which the healing art could afford.

So far all was satisfactory; but the unavoidable tête-à-têtes of Colonel Pennington and General Montgomery were of a distressing nature; the coldness of friends is ice itself; the heart is cut by its keen severity. Colonel Pennington sometimes groaned audibly, and continued to pace up and down the room like a troubled ghost; then he would suddenly stop and say abruptly :

"Well, and now matters have been brought to a climax, and that Lord Mowbray will, in all probability, propose for Lady Emily-what will you

do? what can you do? circumstanced as you are?" and laying a strong emphasis on the latter words.

"It is time enough, my good Pennington—it is time enough to think of how I shall act, when that circumstance takes place-should it take place! The first thing to be thought of, is the recovery of my niece; the next, her immediate removal home to the farm-house."

"What! and so you really mean to take her away, and deprive her of the last chance she has of ever getting well settled? truly you are unaccountable. Yet perhaps you may just as well do so. Lord Mowbray is a man who values the nobility of his descent, and its unsullied honour too highly, to marry the niece of one enveloped in a mystery which

Pennington, I can bear a great deal from a person whose character I value so highly as I do yours; but there are limits beyond which no man can endure to be taunted even by his best friend. We must meet no more, in order to avoid the recurrence of this irritation; or meeting, we must cease altogether to converse, till such time as you have learned to repress your feelings, and to be silent on this subject."