in the care of lady Anne Milsome, and hastened himself down to the town to endeavour to secure the perpetrator of such an act of daring outrage. But his inqui ries were all in vain; he was not to be heard of, though Charles gave an accurate description of his person and appearance; for though it was by moonlight he had seen him, and that during the struggle of a moment, Mr. Melville had recognised him as the handsome and well-informed stranger with whom he had travelled the day before. But still his inquiries were in vain, though one of the towns-people pointed to a large boat that was seen in the distance, cutting her silent way over the moonlight waters, and asked if he thought that the man who was the object of his inquiry was one of the smugglers?"

"No, no, he is no smuggler," replied Charles, shaking his head, and returned disappointed to the park. At the lodge he stopped to inquire of the old woman who kept the gate, whether she had remarked

marked any suspicious person about the park during the day?

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"Oh dear, no, sir," replied she, “no suspicious person at all; there was a fine, handsome-looking gentleman stopped and spoke to me a long time in the morning: he saw I was ailing, and asked me a great deal about my health, just in the same kind way that my lady Mary does."

"And did he ask you nothing else?" demanded Charles.

"Oh dear, yes, sir," answered the old woman; " he asked me a great deal about the gentry round about, and when I told him how good my young lady was to me, he asked a great deal about her too."

"And what questions did he put to you about lady Mary?" inquired Charles.

"Why, he asked me if she was good to the poor when they were sick, and if I was sure she was lord Burton's sister, and if she walked much about the park, and if I thought she would be down to see me that evening."

"Scoundrel!" exclaimed Charles, in a manner that startled the old woman.

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Lord, sir," exclaimed she, " I am sure he was a very nice gentleman: it could never be he sure that the people say tried to rob my lady in the park, bless her beautiful eyes! Who would have supposed any body could think of hurting her ?"

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Nobody, nobody could have thought such a thing possible," replied Charles, abruptly, and returned to the house, where he found lady Mary scarcely recovered from the alarm she had undergone.

The only account she could give of the affair was as unsatisfactory as any that had been before received. In passing to the lodge, she met no one, and after having seen the object of her kindness, whom she found much recovered, she was returning slowly towards the house, when at a short distance from the place where the entrance road quitted the wood, a man of genteel appearance presented himself, and begging pardon for the intrusion, asked if he spoke

to

to lady Mary Burton? She answered in the affirmative, and continued walking on; upon which he told her a story of a poor woman in the village being very ill, and much desiring to see her immediately. Though a good deal frightened, she replied calmly, that she was then engaged, but would come down in the morning; and finding an opportunity of passing the stranger, she began running as fast as she could. On this, he followed, and without further word or ceremony, caught her in his arms, and made the best of his way across the park, to a spot where a break in the paling offered the means of escape, either towards the sea, or to the high road. It was at this moment that the screams of lady Mary brought her cousin to her assistance; but what were the views of the person who attacked her, or who he was, she was utterly ignorant of.

Charles asked if she would know him again? She replied, that she would most decidedly; for that the moon shone upon F 4

the

the road as he walked for some yards beside her, and she had a full view of his face several times.

"And you have no remembrance of ever seeing him before ?" asked Charles.

"None whatever," replied his cousin; "nor could he know me even by sight, or he would not have asked my name so pointedly."

"True," answered Charles-" true; it is all very odd indeed; but I hope, Mary, you will not suffer from your fright."

"Oh no," answered she, holding out her hand to him; "I owe you a great deal, Charles: you shall be my knight-errant."

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