grounding her opinion upon this mysterious circumstance, as well as upon the fact of his wishing so anxiously to avoid the high-road, gave it as her decided conviction, that he was bound to Hales Court upon some Popish plot, and that it was their bounden duty instantly to apprize Edith of her danger, and recommend her immediate return to Orchard Place. "A cross round his throoat," said Chervil, shaking his head, and looking stolidly sapient"and goo tha horse-track, which is a nation difficult one to volly without being mizmazed! why then, there must be a plot o' zome zort, that's my verdit, and therefore I zay't. But why shouldn't us tell tha Squoire or Madam Colyton at Orchit Place, instead of trapesing auver all tha way to Hales Court ?” 66 Fags, Tummas! I thought ye knew it war niver-the-near to speak to the Squoire about a nought; and as to Madam, sim to I she be clear and shear overlooked by theazam Sheltons. No, we'll zee Miss Edith her own zelf, and cry war-whing in her ear, and then if she vall into the snare, 'twardn' our vault, you know." "Well, Madge, nif you do make a pwint on't, we'll goo auver at once, vor it becomes us to be grateful to the Squoire's vamily, bin' he ha' always done zo much vor our Het. Lord love tha zweet maid! how pretty she do look in her black donnins, dwon't she?" "Aw, Tummas! Tummas! Lord send it dwon't spwile the wench, and turn her head as it hath adood our Meg's. Tha girt gigleling goosecap thinks o' nought now but o' being a vine lady like her zuster, and goos trapesing about in long curls and vlickering in ribbons, instead o' minding the milk pail, and veeding tha pigs. Did ye mind how begrumpled and stomachy she war 'cause I snubbed her abit avore dinner? But she shan't downarg me as she do her. Grammer and Gramfer, no, that's what she shan't while my name's Madge Chervil, and I do hope, Tummas, ye 'on't help to spwile her." "Aw, weel, I'll jist don my Zunday qut and hat, and then weel g' auver to Hales Court," said the husband, who was too quiet a man to argue with his spouse upon so interminable and intractable a subject as that of spoiling the children. Madge in the mean time arrayed herself in her best gown and hood, when the rustic couple immediately set off upon their wellmeant, but most unnecessary expedition. CHAPTER III. Yea, this man's brow, like to a title-leaf, SHAKSPEARE. EDITH was seated upon the lawn at Hales Court, as already stated, reflecting upon the enlarged charity which not only governed Agatha's actions, but seemed to pervade every feeling of her heart, when she was startled at hearing herself called in a loud whisper, and still more surprized when, upon looking up, she beheld Chervil and his wife, who, having espied her from the road, had cautiously approached the sunk fence, screening themselves among the branches that overhung one of its extremities. "Good Heavens !" ejaculated Edith, "what is the matter? Is all well at Orchard Place? Nothing has happened to dear Hetty, I hope ?" "No, Miss Edy, nought ha' hap'd to our Het, and all be buxom at Orchit Place, tha Lord be praised therevor!" said Madge, whom her quiet husband willingly allowed to be the spokeswoman; "but we ha' got a zummat to tell ye, nif we be sartin shower we shan't be auverheard by anone o' the Papishes hereaway." "You may speak freely; there is not a soul near us," said Edith. Notwithstanding this assurance Madge looked suspiciously around her, after which she proceeded to state in an eager whisper the stranger's arrival at the farm, the mysterious cross and greyhound which she had discovered, her reasons for concluding that he was a Papist bound to Hales Court, and her conviction that some Popish plot was hatching, ejaculating at the conclusion of her narrative, "Now, Lors |