be mistaken, and with thanking him very cordially for the interest he had taken in the matter. This pacified Sir Reginald, who departed, with a better idea of his worthy neighbour, than he had hitherto entertained; and he returned to Maengwyn with the same pomp, as he came to Glanwern, and more than ever determined, with the inflexible pride of a Roman, to bring his delinquent son to punishment.

In the mean time, the evening approached, and Reginald's anxiety increased with every succeeding shadow, as it fell upon the woods, and hills, and glens, by which Glanwern was surrounded. We have seen that he was brave and daring, and the cause, in which he was now engaged, was well calculated to excite all his energies, and call up every feeling of heroic courage. He feared nothing from Rob, for in him he placed the most implicit confidence; but Rob, like himself, was but mortal, and Reginald knew not the force opposed against them. But Janet's delivery new-nerved his heart, till he, at length, actually panted hurriedly and anxiously for the midnight meeting. Ten o'clock came, and Reginald prepared for his departure. Placing a pistol in his belt on each side, and taking with him his constant companion among the hills, his hunting-pole, he set forward on his mission.

The night was favourable to his enterprize; for a splendid moon, although occasionally obscured by clouds, shed a softened and subdued light on hill, and rock, and valley. His path lay along the sea-shore, and the glittering waves, as they dashed gently on the sands, sent their feathery spray to his very feet, urging him more swiftly on his way. Before he reached Evan Jones's cottage, he turned up a narrow gully or ravine among the rocks, and now found his path more intricate and gloomy. But being a practised mountaineer, he soon reached the place of meeting, where every thing was as gloomy and as silent as the grave. Sitting down upon a stunted rock, he waited Rob's arrival with anxiety, which encreased with every moment of his delay. He had not long to wait, for his kinsman's distorted form stood suddenly before him, seeming as if it had sprung out of the earth-so silent and so stealthy was his foot-fall.

"You are to your time, cousin," he said, as he rested on his staff, and gazed intently on our hero, "and your haste shows your sincerity are you prepared for peril ?" :

"" or I would not be here."

"I am," replied Reginald, firmly,
'Tis well," said Rob-" then, follow me."

Stay!" said Reginald, "I must know, first, whither you would lead me."

"Have I not told you?" growled the Red-Hand-"I lead you to peril-perchance to the death-will you follow ?"

"Lead on!" said Reginald, reminded by Rob's doggedness of the utter inutility of seeking more explicit information. "Lead on! and I'll follow you to the devil, an it be necessary."

Rob laughed one of his loud, long, coarse laughs, and led the way higher up into the hills, walking silently but swiftly through the

thick heather and furze, which was, in some places, higher than their knees.

Pursuing this unsocial and fatiguing course, they descended a declivity on the hill-side, and found themselves on a level moorland summit, on the surface of which gleamed a small mountain-lake or Llyn, the banks of which were strewn with huge grey-stones, covered with moss and lichen. Here they stopped an instant, and the chill wind of the night swept coarsely over the bosom of the lake, communicating a feeling of cold to Reginald, which made him shiver. "Ah! you tremble!" exclaimed Rob.

""Tis only with the night-wind," promptly answered his companion. Go on, I'll follow you."

Rob now led the way for some time by the lake-side, until he reached one of its extremities, round which he passed, and, pursuing a narrow glade between the hills, they entered a bold mountain-pass, when they were soon shrouded in utter darkness.

"Keep near me, cousin," said Rob, "our path grows perilousbut it will now soon end;" and almost as he spoke, a small twinkling light was seen, glittering amongst the rocks, at some distance from them.

"That light is our beacon," exclaimed the Red-Hand-" keep near me, and obey me in word and deed-our toil is nearly at an end."

The Red-Hand mended his pace, and at every stride the light became more and more visible, till they could at length distinctly perceive that it was caused by the glowing embers of a wood fire, which had been kindled at the mouth of a natural cavern in the cliff, to which a narrow path led up from the open road below. The RedHand drew a pistol from his belt, and closely examined its priming by the red fire-light. Reginald did the same, and they both proceeded slowly and silently towards the mouth of the cave, Rob leading the way up the narrow path. After a short ascent they reached a ledge on the rock, on which the fire was placed, and which served as a sort of natural terrace to the cave. Rob now motioned Reginald to halt, and, throwing himself upon his hands and knees, he crawled to the mouth of the cave. Lying flat on the ground, he looked intently into the cavern, and, turning round, motioned Reginald to come to him.

The youth immediately obeyed, and they both commanded a full view of the interior of the cavern. On a bundle of heath and straw lay old Nancy in a deep sleep, evidently caused by her customary addiction to the spirit cup,-a whiskey bottle and horn cup being placed close by her side. Nearer the fire, but on the cold stony floor of the cave, slept her daughter Annie, covered only with a blanket, and evidently restless and uneasy in her slumber. At the furthest end, and leaning her head on a block of stone, which served as a table, sat Janet Meredith herself, but whether asleep or awake, it was impossible to make out. One thing was certain-none of the male members of the family were present; and although old Nancy

was a very devil, when her blood was up, still our two adventurers were more than a match for her.

The object, however, was to excite the notice of Janet, without, if possible, disturbing either Nancy or her daughter; and the RedHand, with a boldness and skill, peculiar to one, who had so often practised concealment and escape, undertook this task. He rose to his feet, and strode, with the stealthy step of a tiger, immediately into the cavern. He passed by Annie, and, stooping over the old woman, endeavoured to ascertain the soundness of her sleep. Of this he seemed convinced, for he very coolly took up the bottle and horn cup, and placed them in his pocket;-he then advanced towards Janet, and placed his huge hand lightly on her shoulder. She instantly started, and, with a shriek that made the cave resound, fell upon her knees, and begged, in accents of piercing sorrow, for safety and protection. Rob's first glance was towards old Nancybut she stirred not a muscle; he next pointed towards the mouth of the cave, and uttered Reginald's name: this was enough,-the maiden repeated the endearing words, and fell weeping upon the Red-Hand's shoulder.

The shriek, however, had awakened Annie, who immediately rose, and, perceiving two men in the cave, (for Reginald had now entered) snatched up a loaded musket, which was placed in one corner of the cave, and, standing over her mother, prepared to defend her from the intruders. Reginald, however, immediately disclosed himself, and the heroic girl was instantly pacified. From the very beginning she had been averse to the confinement and treatment of Janet Meredith, and had even meditated more than one plan of escape. Even now she urged them quickly to depart, as her brothers were momentarily expected to return,-and if they did, there would be more blood shed.

"Is your

father dead?” asked Reginald.

Yes, and buried-on the hill side by the cottage-but stay not to parley now," said Annie, "go quickly, and leave me to account for the young lady's escape." She advanced towards the cave's mouth as she spoke, and gazing wildly towards the sea, continuedI hear nothing yet, but avoid the path that leads towards Dolrischol, and go high up into the hills; away! and may God speed ye!"

Throwing a cloak, which they found in the cave, over the trembling Janet, Rob left her to the guidance of Reginald, while he, as before, led the way. The grey light of morning was now breaking upon the hills; and while it still afforded them concealment, it served more plainly to light them on their way. Speed, swift and silent, urged them on, and by a route, nearer and less intricate, they rapidly approached Glanwern. Janet, with the strength and courage of a mountain-maid, and with a heart, beating with joy and gratitude for her deliverance, kept equal pace with her deliverers; and if she occasionally returned the soft, warm pressure of Reginald's

hand, it was the least return he could meet with or receive for his gallantry.

44

The chimnies of Glanwern broke into view, rising above the trees, by which it was surrounded, and the Red-Hand stopped to depart. Farewell, my gallant cousin!" he said,-" and you, too, lady! I leave you to him, who has the strongest claim to you, and may ye both speed better in your wooing than I have done." And, without stopping to receive thanks for the essential part he had taken in the rescue, he strode quickly down the hill side, and was speedily out of sight. Janet blushed and trembled as she clung closer to Reginald's side, and they both hastened on to Glanwern, where they were received and welcomed in a manner-as novel writers say-more easily imagined than described.

THE CONFESSIONS OF EDWARD WILLIAMS.

(Continued from No. 13.)

The Periodical Press, at the time to which I am now alluding, was in full operation and vigour, and the competition, which existed amongst the different proprietors and conductors, was very beneficial to the contributors. From the readiness, with which my own papers were received, I was induced to calculate upon my gains from this occupation as a certain and constant income, and to act in my expenditure accordingly. I began to find, too, about this time, that the venturesome and speculative habits, which were so ruinously indulged in by my poor father, were still inherent in my disposition, and only lying dormant for the want of a favourable occasion of display. That occasion speedily presented itself. A gay young man in the office, of good family, and of extremely engaging manners, was a most accomplished billiard player, and as I had once excelled myself in that fascinating game, I was persuaded to give him a trial. Gambling, in the common acceptation of the term, I had never practised; because I had, in other exciting pursuits, a sufficient mental stimulus since my arrival in London, however, this stimulus had ceased, with the exception of my literary pursuits, which, although they served for a while as a substitute, were by far of too tame a character for a man of my temperament.

The house, which my young acquaintance frequented, was in Bury Street, St. James's-a street, then, as now, notorious for its gambling houses. We played a few games, in which it was difficult to decide who was the ablest player. The result, however, as far as I was concerned, was the revival of a passion, which was intended for my ruin; and which had hitherto only slumbered in my bosom.

Without subscribing at full length to the doctrine of Fatalism,-although I might without being unreasonable, consider myself its victim-can there be any doubt as to the despotic influence of chance? We are all of us, more or less its slaves and its satellites; and the most trivial circumstance may, and does produce the most important consequences. How, otherwise, could results, the most disastrous, have arisen from my casual visit to the billiard room? I went thither for no other reason, than to amuse myself by a simple trial of the game, without any reference to the gains of winning: indeed, the stake, we played for, was merely nominal,-and could have had no influence over either. It has been urged, that a gambler is invariably avaricious but I deny the assertion. I have known gamblers as generous and liberal as any one else, and often, much more so, than many, who profess to be charitable, and, with uplifted eyes, commiserate the wretchedness of their fellow-creatures. The passion, which stimulates the gambler to play, is not, generally, that of avarice, but of ambitious emulation and revenge; and I have seen a successful player give away the bulk of his winnings in a fit of impulsive benevolence. Were I to relate all the various scenes, I have witnessed, during the short, but eventful period, in which I visited the London gambling houses, you would see, that passions,-darker and fiercer than that of avarice-shook their victims to the very centre. I have been so shaken-and you see the result!

:

I repeated my visit to the billiard room the very next day, and with the same companion,-but not with the same harmless consequence :-I lost twenty guineas,—a large sum to me, and one which, although I was at the time enabled to pay, left me almost pennyless. A prudent man would have taken this hint, and profitted by it: but I was not a prudent man; and, as is too often the case,-instead of being checked and cautioned by this ill-luck, I was stimulated to retaliation, and resolved to repair my loss. The winner on this occasion was not my gay and giddy fellow-clerk, but a half-pay officer in the army, of the name of Clare, and of the rank of captain.

Captain Clare was one of the most gentlemanly men I ever knew. Of an ancient and high Irish lineage, his associates were some of Britain's proudest and noblest families: the lively and spirited accomplishments of his countrymen of high rank shone forth in him with peculiar fascination and brilliancy, and it was impossible for an excitable being like myself-and leading such a secluded life-to withstand their influence. My first acquaintance cost me, therefore, twenty guineas; and it would have been well for me, if it had cost me no more.

My attendance at the billiard room was now pretty constant,—and for some time, my play with Captain Clare,-who was my usual antagonist-was, on the whole, nearly equal. If he was the winner one evening I, generally, succeeded the next, so that a kind of constant contest was established between us, which eventually became a subject of general interest and observation,-for we were decidedly the two best players in the room. In the mean time my poor Mary