And yet he's a proper likely gennelman to look at, bain't'n? His vlesh be as white as snaw; you may zee by his hons he ha' niver adone any work, and he ha' got fairy gifts on's vingernails."

"He breathes! he breathes !" exclaimed Agatha; "he may yet be saved; we must convey him instantly where he may receive succour."

"Oh yes, yes!" ejaculated Edith, as she leapt from the chaise, trembling all over with anxiety; "where does the nearest surgeon reside? by prompt assistance he may yet recover."

""Slike enow," said Chervil, 66 vor I dwon't think he ha' any bwons abrauk, thof he ha' got a cruel touse on tha vorehead, sich as I wouldn' ha' had my own zel vor a zummat. You see, Miss Edy, we were a trapesing whome, when I zays to Madge, zays I- Madge, thic gennelman yonner sim ta ride a proper tall horse, dwon't he?' "Zookers!' cries Madge, 'shower and sartain it be tha very zame that was auver at our varm in tha morning. Well, avore ever we

got anear en, whiz! cooms a vlash o' lightning that amawst put me into a mizmaze, and when I cood awpen my eyes agin there war the girt horse galloping away like ramping mad, and leaping cliver and shiver auver tha brimle bushes and what not that came in's way. But the gennelman stuck to en like a burr, till he bolted right under theas girt yock tree, when one o' tha branches took 'en smack athwart tha vorehead, and drode en down upon tha yarth, swop like a stwon, and he gee one kick wi' his voot, and I niver zeed en move a'ter. Zo Madge and me hirnd up to en, and when I had raught en, and look'd upon's vace, all zo dead like, I veel'd a drubbin athin my hort, and tha very hair o' my head zeemed all auver of a stiver."

66

Enough, enough!" cried Agatha, who had also jumped from the chaise, "we are losing time; we must raise the unfortunate man into the vehicle, and drive him to Hales Court, which is the nearest house.”

"There were a Quar-man pass'd us awhile

agwon wi' an empty cort," said Madge, "zo I tould Tummas to shout a'ter en, thinking he mought ha' turn'd back, when we mought ha' hulved the gennelman into's cort; but it's niver-the-near to halloo to themmy that choose to be dunch, thof amaybe he coodn' hear, bin there were sich a duddering rumpus wi' th' wind and tha dunder."

"Our chaise will answer the purpose still better," cried Agatha; "lift him gently into it, my good friend; drive him over to Hales Court, for I myself should hardly have strength to prevent his falling out, and you shall be well rewarded for your trouble. We will accompany your wife to Goathurst, whence you shall both be conveyed to your own home, wherever it may be."

"Aw, Miss, I'll drive en auver, poor creetur, wi' all my hort, but I 'on't cross tha drashel o' Hales Court myzel, bin I ha' taken my woth niver to g' in any o' tha houzen o' tha Papishes; zo don't be vronted, Miss, gif I do stick to Now Madge, bear a hond; halve en

my woth.

ye

auver,-there-yezy, yezy-now tan, up wi' en into tha chay-there! he bain't no girt heft, be en ?"

Having lifted the stranger into the low vehicle, Chervil placed himself beside him, and drove off towards Hales Court, after having received strict injunctions to lose no time, to desire one of the servants, as soon as he should reach the house, to ride off for a surgeon, and to direct that the wounded sufferer should in the mean time be placed in the hands of Father Bartholomew, whom Agatha stated to be well skilled in medicine. The chaise was presently lost amid the trees, and the three pedestrians exerting their best speed in following it, were not long in reaching Hales Court, when Agatha, finding that Chervil had faithfully obeyed all her orders, gave him a handsome remuneration, and directed that himself and his wife should be conveyed in a light cart to their residence at Liney. Knowing Edith's excessive delicacy of constitution, she insisted upon her immediately changing her clothes, which were thoroughly

drenched by the rain, and reminding her of her extreme sensibility, recommended that she should not seek any farther interview with the stranger until the surgeon should have made a report upon the injuries he had sustained, which might possibly be of a fatal nature. Agatha in the mean while, whose firmness and self-possession were not so easily daunted, hastened to the apartment in which the sufferer had been placed, where she found him attended by her parent and Father Bartholomew, the latter of whom was assiduously ministering such appliances as are usually employed to restore suspended animation. The stranger's cravat had been removed, giving to view his fair though manly throat, and as he reclined upon a couch with his dishevelled locks hanging over on one side, his eyes closed, a deathlike pallor overspreading his fine features, and his brow disfigured by a contusion, he might almost have been taken for a marble statue of the dying Adonis, or rather of the beautiful Hyacinthus, after his forehead had been stricken by the fatal quoit of Apollo.