as the whole company joined in chorus, and seemed too much taken up with their entertainment to observe any movement made by the party in ambush, Lord Mowbray jogged Colonel Pennington's elbow, and they crept away in silence.

It was well they had thought of moving, for the dying embers of the fire now scarcely sent up light enough to direct them in their path; and the moon had already passed behind the Castle, and left the shore in obscurity. They paused when they left the platform in front of the Chapel.

"A pretty rascal that steward, my Lord, to be leagued with such a band!" observed Colonel Pennington" they are, depend upon it, onehalf of them smugglers from the opposite coast, and the other half their confederates on this side the water."

"I confess I am more sorry than surprised," said Lord Mowbray; "for I did not augur well of the characters who surrounded us on our arrival here. Do you remember, Pennington, the hang-dog countenance of that fellow

It becomes,

whom they call Smiling Bill? however, a serious matter, indeed, when I find the man holding chief authority in the Castle at the head of them: there is no saying exactly what may be in his power, or how far this misrule extends; it will require consideration before I act."

"True," replied Colonel Pennington, beginning to ascend the path which led to the Castle true enough, and I will give you my opinion on that point presently; meanwhile, I think, we had better regain our apartment quietly, and as quicky as we can; the party will else be separating and should our knowledge of their proceedings be suspected, it may prove a means of preventing a full discovery of the facts:-depend upon it, you have artful knaves to deal with."

Lord Mowbray assented to this advice, but added, "I shall see my agent to-morrow, before we go; and I shall leave directions with him, to have the path from the Chapel to the beach, as well as every other access to it, blocked up. This will be one means of cutting off communi

cation, and can excite no wonderment.

The privacy of the immediate neighbourhood of the Castle requires the precaution."

By this time they had reached the summit of the cliff, and in a few moments re-entered the Castle walls. Every thing wore the same repose, and the same stillness reigned as when they crossed its dreary portal. It was clear that every inmate had forsaken it, and, with the exception of themselves, had been bidden to the festival of the cavern. This circumstance added still more to the conviction which both Lord Mowbray and Colonel Pennington felt, that the proceedings of the evening, from some motive or other, were intended to remain a secret; and although no immediate step was taken against the parties concerned, Lord Mowbray issued such orders on the morrow previous to his departure, as would probably render a recurrence of the same scenes difficult, if not impossible.

CHAPTER II.

The soote season that bud and bloom forth brings,
With green hath clad the hill, and eke the vale;
The nightingale with feathers new she sings;
The turtle to her mate hath told her tale;
Summer is come, for every spray now springs;
The hart hath hung his old head o'er the pale ;
The buck in brake his winter coat he flings;
The fishes float with new repaired scale ;
The adder all her slough away she flings;
The swift swallow pursueth the flies small;
The busy bee her honey new she brings;
Winter is gone that was the flowers bale;
And thus I see, among those pleasant things,
Each care decays, and yet my sorrow springs.
LORD SURREY.

LORD MOWBRAY felt, when he set off the next morning, that bleak and barren as he had thought this spot when he first came to it, he nevertheless could attach himself to its wild scenery. We grow to like those on whom we confer benefits, or to whom we are of use;

and we become fond of a place which we feel to be our own, and to which our presence can be of material consequence; besides, a change which we look forward to anxiously in distant prospect, we frequently dread as it approaches nearer, and fifty times ere Lord Mowbray reached Montgomery Hall, he repented him of having consented to go there.

Perhaps," thought he, "this beautiful vision which haunts my imagination may prove different from what my fancy painted her when seen on the wilds of Dorsetshire; and should she prove, in fact, ever so beautiful, what is that to me ?" With these and similar wayward thoughts, Lord Mowbray entered Montgomery Hall.

It was late in the evening when they arrived, and he had to pass through a tedious ordeal; for, after having been introduced to General Montgomery, he was in due order presented to every individual of the society there assembled, by the General himself.

66

My niece, Lady Emily Lorimer; my niece, Lady Frances Lorimer; my friend and kins