shouldst suffer on my account; but I tell thee I would be gone."

"Even so would mine own inclination lead

me," was the answer; "but I fear, as yet, to yield to it; I have not forgot the maiming of the Smith, nor the fleeing of Wat of the Marsh; nor can I,"-here their voices became inaudible, as they pierced further into the forest, and our travellers again resumed their journey.

It will be readily supposed that the conversation, which they had thus chanced to overhear, served in nowise to enhance the character of De Marchmont in the estimation of either Edwin or Royston; while, to Margaret's bosom it brought a painful feeling: when she remembered how unpopular her father must be, while he caused, even those who were bound to execute his commands to plot against him. For, to do justice to the maiden's feelings, she was not altogether unconscious of the impropriety of her own conduct on this occasion, and had a secret dread of what might be its results, should she again fall into the baron's hands, whom, as we have before stated, she much more feared than loved. Still she would rather that his

praises had been sounded in the ears of her lover than his faults; and had never neglected to throw a veil, over such of her father's evil actions, as had only met her own eye.

They had, by this time, ridden through the dense thicket, and gained a smooth verdant path which spread far along in the unclouded moonlight, beside the river Lene. Here they alighted; and Edwin, unbuckling the horn which hung by his side, filled it with water, and presented it to Margaret; while Royston, kneeling down on the green-sward, took also a long deep draught, saying, when he arose, "Better this than nothing; though, by my faith! an' a fish had floated by, I should not have waited for his being cooked, but e'en made a meal of him."

As they were in the act of remounting, they perceived a rustling among the tall osiers which grew on the bank, and a short human figure arose, whose head scarcely overtopped the willows. Royston was the first to recognise the stunted form, and exclaim, " By the point of my lance, here is our old friend Druth! How goeth it with thee, my little warrior? Marry! thou didst strike a bold blow, yesterday, when the baron stood bickering with the old dame.

But, beshrew me! I can scarce talk to thee for very hunger."

"Shame on thee!" said the dwarf, in his usual solemn tone; "thou who callest thyself a soldier, to complain of hunger! I have not broken my fast since sunrise; and yet," added he, flourishing his massy club in the air, as if it had been a riding-rod; "could I meet with him I seek, thou shouldst see me handle my weapon, as lightly as if I had eaten since curfew."

"By ale and bread!" continued Royston, "methinks the jolly friars of Newstead are wont to keep their larder well-stocked; assuredly thou hast not kept thy usual watch by the gates. And I am at a loss to read aright thy present purpose in the forest.”

"Revenge!" muttered the dwarf, "leaveth no room for further appetite. But whom hast thou with thee?" added he, straining his sharp eyes on Edwin and Margaret, as he spoke; "an' I dream not, those are the features of a Clifton, and a Marchmont. Right glad am I, my lord," said he, approaching and bowing before Edwin," to see you at last in knightly guise; it i became one, who had the best

blood of Saxon kings in his veins, to be a cupbearer to his conquerors. And you, lady," added he, in a sorrowful tone; "cannot conceal yourself from me, even in that disguise. I would that you had remained in your own bower; this is but folly and madness."

"And yet," said Edwin, "you were ready enough, I trow, to quit the mansion to which you would again consign the lady;—ay, by my faith as ready as you now are, to meddle with matters which concern you not, and on which you might at least have held your silence, in this presence."

"The cub may abide safely in the tiger's lair," answered Druth, " and escape the bloody jaws which are agape for all beside; and if I have been so ready to speak in this presence, I have not always kept silence, even when the safety of my life depended upon so doing; but enough of this. Whither is it your pleasure to journey to at this hour? I know the forest, and may be of service."

Edwin briefly stated, that they only required food and shelter for the night; and of which they had long been in search.

"Then follow me," said the dwarf,

" and I

will lead you where both may be procured; and, perchance, that of which you will stand in more need, ere long. For, by the blessed rood! you will not escape from the net, in which you have hitherto been ensnared, without a long chase and a narrow search.-And you," said he, addressing Royston Gower, "are strangely changed, while you thus lead away the preythat you was wont to drive so readily into destruction."

""Tis but the trick of an old hound," answered Royston, carelessly; "to fright away the deer that he would not have hunted down. I am now," added he, with a laugh, "sworn knighterrant to thy mother, and may, some day or other, wed the old witch."

The dwarf frowned, but answered not.

They again pursued their journey through a dark and dangerous part of the forest, which was in some parts almost impassable, for the dense and entangling underwood, and again, diversified by small hillocks and patches of uneven ground, extending for a considerable distance beside a deep streamlet, the banks of which were occasionally broken, and precipitous. While carefully pursuing their way beside the