play. The youth, however, for a few moments, made no effort to throw him off; his grasp on the neck of the beast was one of iron, and instead of endeavouring The wolf struggled desperately, accompanying his plunges by fierce howls, essaying madly to bite with his enormous fangs, of which he made a constant disto extricate himself from his dangerous position, he amused himself by grinning in the face of the brute each time it roared and gnashed its teeth. He remained thus for near two minutes, and then, by a prodigious exertion, he raised himself half up. Then began the struggle for the mastery. The wolf was too large and too powerful to be easily flung off, and the youth felt he must regain his feet ere he could effectually defend himself. The wolf did his best to prevent this, and each struggling desperately, they rolled over and over; the youth uttering fierce, short, angry exclamations, the wolf growling in concert. It would have been difficult for a spectator to have decided which had the best of the conflict, for each was uppermost in turns. Suddenly the youth appeared upon his knees, and retained his position. Holding the wolf down, with a strong effort he succeeded in getting one of his knees upon its throat, and then, with the quickness of thought, removed his right hand, drew his short sword, and plunged it into its body. He repeated the blow several times, still retaining his hold, until the long mad, howls which it gave ceased; the limbs relaxed, though they still quivered, and the absence of all resistance told him his enemy wss dead. "The Mother of God be praised for the victory!" No. 2 he cried, rising and panting for breath, while he wiped the large drops of perspiration from his brow. "Phew! it was hard work. Once or AUTHOR'S OWN EDITION. "I have no objection to do so, for I am not ashamed of it, nor shall I ever be, I hope." "I hope not." "I think I am sure not; but before I tell it to you, should like to know the meaning of all this mystery." I A few minutes will explain it all; pledge my twice, when his villanous jaws were close to my face, I fancied he licked his chops in anticipation of making a meal of me. However, my time has not yet come, nor do I mean it should yet awhile; nor in this fashion. By the mass! it would have been awkward to have paid my visit to Purgatory thus early in my life, after having just served as a dinner to a bloodthirsty, thievish, sneaking brute," he concluded, kick-word you shall know, and will acknowledge, when you ing the carcase with his foot. He wiped his sword do, that I am justified in asking these questions, and upon the shaggy coat of the wolf, sheathed it, picked also in assuming this caution." up his spear, and turned to depart, when to his surprise, he discovered a man, in the garb of Grif's band, facing him. He started at the unexpected sight, but grasped his weapon firmly, and prepared to defend himself in case of attack. "Fear not," uttered the sombre stranger, noticing the youth's movement. "I do not," he replied. "'Tis well. You live in Brenchley ?" he interrogated. "I do," returned the youth. "What then?" "You have lived long there?" said his interrogator. "Nearly all my life," was the reply. "Why do you ask ?" "You shall know if you will follow me to a short distance from hence, where we may not be seen." "We are not likely to be seen here, save by some of your companions," exclaimed the youth. My companions! uttered the stranger, scornfully. "Yes," he cried, grinding his teeth and clenching his fist, they shall find how I will companion with them!" "You wear their garb," ejaculated the youth, astonished at the fierce hatred exhibited in the countenance of the stranger at the mention of the band. "Ay! but that is my affair. Let it suffice you to know I am not one of the crew; that I hate them with the deadliest hatred ever implanted in the breast of man against his fellow, and even now seek you as a means of thwarting a piece of villany they are hatching. Follow me; I know thou hast the courage to trust thyself with me, and to do the deed I shall propose to you; I saw the whole of your encounter with yon huge beast, and that decided me in engaging you to execute what I am about to commission thee with." "I can't say much about my courage, sir stranger," observed the youth, quietly; "but this I know-I'd do my best were my life in danger from man or beast, or risk my life to preserve those I love from harm." "I have seen enough to make me believe as much," remarked the stranger. "I suppose it is as you say. Well, my name is Walter, or, as the lads call me for short, Wat; I am the son of Martin the Tyler." "Well, Wat Tyler, you are about twenty, I presume ?" "No," returned Wat, "I am seventeen." "No more!" exclaimed the stranger, with surprise, "and yet with so powerful a frame!" "I don't know about that; I only know I am just seventeen. My birthday was yesterday, and rare fun I had, too," answered Wat. "No matter, seventeen or twenty, you are sufficiently stalwart for my purpose," muttered the stranger, and then, raising his voice, said "I need not ask you if you know Halbert Evesham ?" "Do I know my right hand; do I know my mother's voice, or my own name? uttered Wat, somewhat contemptuously. "I am answered," ejaculated the stranger. "Do you know who and what he was before he came to Brenchley ?" "No," returned Wat, "nor any one else in the village." "I do," said the stranger. "You?" cried Wat, with astonishment. "Ay! I repeat it, I do, and I will tell you. Some twenty years since he was the steward of a young nobleman whose name I shall not mention, for the time has not yet arrived for that disclosure. He was then in his twenty-third year, and of a very prepos sessing appearance; he fell in love with the daughter of one of the vassals who was the principal attendant upon the young wife of the nobleman he served, and she returned his affection. She was very beautiful, and had many suitors, among whom, it was said, the noble himself figured; they were, however, all rejected, and ultimately she was united to Halbert; the noble, his master, assisted at the wedding, and gave him a farm as a wedding portion, to which he retired with his wife, as blessed as man could be. But his felicity was not doomed to last. Upon his return one day from a hunt, to which he had accompanied his master, he found two faithful servants slaughtered, and his wife nowhere to be seen. He was almost horror-stricken at the sight of his murdered dependants, and alarmed almost to madness at the absence of his wife. searched every part of the house, calling her frantically by name, but no response was made to his cries, save the echo of his own voice as it rang through the deserted chambers. His search was vain-she was gone, "Lead on," uttered the youth. With his spear in and not a trace left by which to track her. In a one hand, and sword ready for instant use, he followed state of mind bordering on frenzy, he threw himthe sable stranger, who instantly availing himself of self upon his steed, and galloped at the top of the the assent, led the way through coverts and thickets, horse's speed to the castle. He gained admittance, he until he reached a small copse studded thickly with waited for no announcement; but, leaving his steed in trees of all kinds. Having assured himself that there the court-yard, he dashed up the stairs, and entered his were none but himself and the youth in sight or hear-lord's presence, without observing any of the customing, he motioned to his companion to seat himself at ary observances of respect. The noble was still in his the foot of a tree, which having obeyed, he threw him- hunting dress, even as he had quitted the wood, and self beside him, and commenced speaking in a low looked with astonishment on the sudden appearance of voice. his servitor. With a face white to ashyness, and his whole demeanour that of one distracted, Halbert clasped his hands together, threw himself upen his 66 Marry, if you saw my tussle with this beast, you might have lent a helping hand," said the youth. 66 You did not need it," was the response. "Had the danger been greater, you should not have suffered for want of my aid;-but time is flying-will you follow me ?" "You live in the village of Brenchley, you have Will you tell me your name ?" told me. He knees to his master, and after in vain essaying to speak, buried his face in his hands and burst into tears. The young noble raised him, and at length obtained from him the cause of his anguish and prayers for assistance; the latter he immediately granted, and a troop of horse were summoned. Halbert placed himself at their head; they scoured the country for miles, and next morning, worn out with fatigue, the steeds scarce able to crawl from over exertion, they returned, having been unsuccessful in their pursuit. His master apparently took great interest in the affair; for more than a week the search was kept up with great perseverance, the young noble occasionally taking part in it, and as well offered a great reward to any one who should bring tidings by which she might be recovered; but in vain. What! could they not ascertain with all this exertion what became of her?" inquired Wat, much interested in the story. "You shall hear," continued the stranger. "About three weeks after her disappearance, a man came to Halbert, offering, upon payment of the reward, to disclose to him what had become of his wife. Halbert agreed, and appointed the evening to produce the sum, as the man refused to disclose a syllable until the money was within his grasp. Halbert hastened to the young noble, related what had occurred, and received the money to pay the reward. However, the man did not keep his appointment, and was next morning found dead, floating in the moat whieh surrounded the castle, with his throat cut." "How extraordinary!" interrupted Wat. "So every one thought," continued the stranger. "The youngnoble set on foot every inquiry respecting the murdered man, but with as little success as he had met with in his search for Halbert's wife. Time passed on; nothing further arose which had the remotest connection with his loss, and he sat him down by his lone hearth, a desolate, broken-hearted man. Four years elapsed, during nearly the whole of which period the nobleman, his master, had been away from his castle, leaving Halbert in charge of it. One night he was awakened from his sleep by the crying of an infant; he sprung from his bed upon hearing the cry repeated with such distinctness; it absolved his mind from all doubt of its being a dream, and hastily procuring a light, he found a small wicker basket placed upon a chair near his bed, containing a female child, scarcely a twelvemonth old. Attached to its neck was a small scroll, which upon opening he found to contain these words. "Halbert Evesham, this child is entrusted to thy care by one for whom thou wouldst once have hazarded life and happiness; for one who never ceases to pray for thee; one whom, if thou shouldst never again meet on earth, trusts with the fondest hope and yearning of a blighted heart, to meet thee in Heaven. Cherish and tend this child as though it was a holy charge from thy Maker to thee; suffer no harm or danger to come near it, while thou hast life and strength. Do this for the sake of all you ever held dear, and you shall one day be rewarded with that thou dost most hope for. Seek not to know who the child is, or how it came to thee, or why it was entrusted to thee; the time will come when thou shalt know all, but till then be satisfied to know no more than thou art already acquainted with. Quit this castle at once and for ever; your life is in danger each moment you are in it. Make any excuse to avoid suspicion of your knowledge of this, but above all, let no soul know that you have the child until you are far from this. Fail not, as you wish to give happiness to one who feels bitterly its want; and if it is in thy gentle nature, Halbert, to hate aught, bear the most inextinguishable, deadly hatred to him thou hast served so long and faithfully; nourish it, cherish it, but do not display it until thou canst do it effectually. A more execrable villain breathes not than the noble thou servest, and thou of all men owest him the deepest, most unrelenting, unmitigated loathing; why, thou shalt know when other things are explained to thee. Keep thy trust, be secret, and quit this hated place for ever. Farewell! if there is a happiness beyond all imagining, which may be bestowed on mortal, Heaven is hourly implored that it may be thine." Halbert perused and re-perused these lines again and again. What passed through his mind he alone knew; but at that dead hour of night he saddled one of the swiftest steeds in the stable, and bearing the child with him, he quitted the castle. When he returned at daybreak he was alone." Why, you don't mean to say he murdered it?" cried Wat, with a sudden start. "Pshaw!" returned the other, "no! In two days his master returned; Halbert requested permission to leave him, alleging as an excuse the miserable recollections the place conjured up. Almost to his surprise, the noble consented eagerly, and made him a large present. Halbert left him and his castle from that hour, and with the young child he journeyed from place to place, until at last he came here into Kent." "Then Violet Evesham is this child?" suggested Wat. "She is," replied his companion. "And now let me ask you a question. You know her well?" "I should think so; we were playmates as children," said Wat. "You love her?" interrupted the stranger, looking fixedly at him. "As my right arm!" exclaimed Wat, returning the look by a steady gaze. "And would hazard much in her service?" questioned the stranger. "Life and limb!" cried Wat, enthusiastically. "How would you stand affected to him who would endeavour to tear her from her home, and by force do her so foul a wrong, as to make her weep tears of blood, could she shed them?" "Why, I'd cut him down like a reed!" cried Wat, with startling energy. "I'd hew him to pieces. By Heaven! I would not treat the rankest beast that ever crawled so foully as I'd use him!" His eyes sparkled as he uttered this with almost supernatural brightness, and the crimson flush which passed across his burning brow, evinced how truly he felt all he uttered. 'Why, that's spoken like a noble heart," said the stranger. "There is one, Wat, who seeks to do this, and it is to thwart him in his vile purpose that I apply for thy assistance; and have disclosed Halbert Evesham's story to thee in order to interest thee more deeply in her behalf, if there had been need of it, which I am glad to find there is not." "There is such a villain? who, what, and where is he ?" cried Wat, grasping his weapons, and half rising as if he would go in instant pursuit of him. "Bide thee still, thou shalt meet him, but 'tis not yet time. I myself have somewhat to do in this affair, which requires some little preparation," returned the stranger. "Who art thou, who art acquainted with all these things?" demanded Wat. "My own safety forbids me telling thee," his com. panion replied; "know me only as a friend to Halbert Evesham, to his beautiful foster-child, and to thee. But come, I see by the sun the time approaches when we should be up and doing; follow me. I will tell thee what is designed against the fair one's honour, and of the means of preventing it." So saying, he rose from the grass on which he had been lying, and led the way, followed by his young companion, deeper into the forest. The sun had quitted the meridian rather better than two hours, when Martin du Bois hastened to keep his appointment with the gentle Violet. With a light step, he took his way through the wood, and he chuckled as he anticipated the entire success of his scheme. Suddenly his path was crossed by a youth, who, standing directly before him, bade him stop. Looking fiercely upon his [detainer, Martin cried angrily "Out of my path!" "Not until we are better acquainted,” cried Wat, for it was he who confronted Martin. "Out of my path, boor, slave, serf!" roared Martin, in haughty indignation. The words barely left his lips, ere he was felled like lightning to the ground, by a blow from Wat. "Liar!" he cried, as he bestowed the blow; "I am neither one nor the other." "Dog!" shouted Martin, springing to his feet, and drawing his sword, "thy heart's blood shall pay for this!" and he rushe dmadly upon Wat with his drawn weapon. The latter, however, was prepared, and stood upon his defence with the short sword which had inflicted so summary a fate upon the wolf. Furiously Martin laid about him, and Wat had all his work to do to parry the fierce and rapid thrusts of his antagonist. He stood only on the defensive, until Martin grew exhausted from his violent exertions, and then Wat plied him so vigorously that he speedily disarmed him. He sprung upon him, seized him by the throat, and threw him to the ground, vowing that if he made the slightest movement of alarm or escape he would run him through instantly. Then drawing from his girdle a thick cloth, which was folded and fastened round with a long thong of leather, he unfolded it, and tied it tightly all round Martin's head, effectually blindfolding, and at the same time gagging him. Martin was at a loss to conjecture the motive for this attack; he plainly perceived that Wat was no robber, and yet, being an entire stranger, to what else could he attribute his conduct. He tried to remember whether he had ever seen him before, and had done him any wrong; but no! there was not a lineament in his face he could recognise; and as plunder did not appear to be the object of his being treated thus, he could not but deem Wat's proceeding as one which was as incomprehensible as it was successful. To these speculations as to the cause of his situation was added the emotions of rage and disappointment; in hastening to meet Violet, he had amused himself by calculating the ease with which, after he had her completely in his power, he could overcome her scruples. Away from all friends, no chance, no hope of ever being restored to them, with a young and ardent lover always with her, pleading his cause with fervour and enthu siasm, he was certaiu, he fondly imagined, to make her consent to become his in every sense of the word; but even should it fail, he resolved that what was not granted to persuasion should be obtained by force. He had laid his plans so well, everything having as yet fulfilled his expectations, that the possibility of being completely thwarted at the last moment was a matter which had never crossed his imagination; to be thwarted thus, too, by a youth several years his junior, without any visible cause for his conduct, made him chafe and rage inwardly with the direst fury. All his attempts to get free from the grasp of his conqueror were fruitless; he was held with such strength that he was actually powerless. Was there no means of escape- no chance of ascertaining the cause of this proceeding, and bribing the youth to set him free? There was no time to be lost, for Wat bound his arms behind him as firmly as he had his head in the cloth. "Why have you done this? What is the meaning of this extraordinary behaviour ?" he exclaimed. He received no answer, but was raised to his feet by a powerful jerk, and impelled forward by a line attached to that which fastened his arm. He concluded that the cloth had rendered his voice inaudible, and again spoke, or rather shouted "What is your motive for treating me thus ? Let me free. I will reward you handsomely, if you will. Name your sum, and I will treble it, if you let me go. If money be your object, I swear that, so long as thou dost live, thou shalt not want it." There was still no answer, nor any cessation in his constrained progress; again he cried, louder than before, as his case grew more urgent— "Let me but free, and I will, I swear by all that is holy, lavish gold upon thee and thine. I will not only forgive what thou hast done, but be thy friend for ever. You know not what pressing matters you are ruining by thus detaining me.' Here he thought he heard a slight laugh from Wat. "This is no time for jocularity," he urged; "thou art no robber, I am assured of that; and what wrong have I done thee? None! Thou hast mistaken me for another person. Ah, by heaven! that must be it! Youth, look again upon me. Art sure I am he for whom thou dost take me ?" "Yes!" thundered Wat in his ear, "I am sure thou art the hound I take thee for; and know, scoundrel! that this is thy punishment for attempting a vile wrong to Violet Evesham. I will not stain my sword with thy base blood, but will leave the wolves to inflict upon thee the death, thou dog! which thou dost so richly merit." A passionate prayer for mercy from Martin was unheeded. He was dragged violently along, until Wat reached the loneliest, wildest, most desolate spot he knew in the wood. He bound him strongly to a tree, and then, without uttering a word in reply to his abject supplications for release, accompanied, as they were, by princely offers, protestations, and oaths of abandoning his wicked scheme, he turned his back upon him, and left him to his fate. CHAPTER IV. "The lady's cheek Trembled; she nothing said, but, pale and meek JOHN KEATS. IOLET EVESHAM passed the night on which Martin du Bois quitted her to seek Grif of the Bloody Hand, sleeplessly; she was agitated by a thousand frightful anticipations of undefined ill to her foster-father; she conjured up danger in every shape and form, and imagined him to be liable to each as in turn it arose. WAT TYLER, Pale and harassed { she repaired to the spot he had named for their meet by her emotions and want of rest, she left her couching. "It is nothing; I slept ill; I had some terrible 66 'Quit me?" cried Violet, in a tone of alarm. "Ay, Violet," he returned, rather surprised at her startled manner, "I shall only be away from you for a few hours. I have a slight matter to arrange with a friend at Lamberhurst, which must be done to-day." "Is it not possible to defer it ?" she inquired anxiously. "No," he replied; "but why do you ask? Is there anything so extraordinary in my quitting you for a few hours, that you shou'd exhibit such concern? for your voice and manner tell me that you feel some strange anxiety about my leaving you. Ah, I see what it is, Violet, you have not yet shaken off the I suppose you influence of those absurd dreams. dreamed that some wolf attacked me, or some wild bull gored me to death; absolve yourself at once from their influence, my love, or the weakness may Believe me, I amnot the less safe grow upon you. because have had some such dreams." you "But might it not be a warning, dear father," she arged, feeling an indefinable sense of dread of some danger which would overtake him if he quitted her. "Not of sufficient strength to make me defer my journey, my dear child," he returned. "I lament that you should suffer your native strength of mind to be influenced by such creations of the brain-phantoms of a sleeping imagination. Think no more of itit is unworthy of you. I am at all times, even as is the meanest thing upon earth, under the especial protection of Providence; if harm befall me, it will be by the Divine will: I am satisfied of this, and suffer not even the foreboding of ill, which we all feel more or less, to affect me. Let me see, when I return, that thy merry friends, and thine own good sense, have chased away the gloom thy troubled dreams have produced. God bless thee, my child, farewell "" so say ing, he kissed her tenderly, and, attired in his hat and cloak, with a stout staff in his hand, he walked out into the sunshine, leaving her alone. He could not have left his dwelling a hundred yards behind him, ere she felt impelled to fetch him back, and at once disclose to him all that Martin du Bois had uttered; but then Martin had said that the good would be nullified by her foster-father being made acquainted that he was in danger-that she alone could save him, and that he would, when she met him, tell her the result of his exertions in Halbert's favour. She prayed for the time to arrive which Instead of obeying Halwould set her mind at ease. bert's wish that she should seek the fresh air as a restorative, she remained within the house until the appointed hour came, and then, avoiding the village, She reached it rather before the time agreed upon, but she waited patiently until long after it had passed away; she grew weary with anxiety at his non-appearance, coupling her father's danger with his absence. An hour passed on, still Martin came not, and her solicitude increased proportionably. Once or twice she fancied that she saw a pair of glittering eyes glaring at her from a thicket close by the spot upon which she stood, but they vanished so speedily that she dismissed it from her mind as a creation of fancy. Two hours fled; still was Martin absent. She suffered all the agonies of suspense in their acutest form. Independent of the apprehension she felt at his absence, there was another cause for alarm which affected her in no slight degree. Twice or thrice again had she She concluded their possessor to seen the eyes; the last time with a clearness which set doubt at rest. Her be a wolf, who only waited for her movement to de- The form which Violet had mistaken for a wolf, was, as the reader may imagine, one of Grif's band. He was followed by three companions, who glided after him, and Violet had scarcely reached the ground, ere she was lifted from it by the foremost, and supHe detached her head-dress to ported in his arms. give her air, but the swoon was so strong, it seemed to "Be marvellous for once," replied he whom the "Stand off, fool!" roared Quintal, still holding Violet in his arms; with his foot upraised he thrust the fellow violently back as he attempted to put into effect his "Stand off! do you think a face like proposition. this was ever made to come in contact with such a If you don't wish hell-born imp's visage as thine? to have a swing by the neck from the highest tree in the wood, you will not put one of your paws on this maiden, except as according to orders. Grif's were, that we were to treat her as tenderly as a mother would her infant, and those orders shall be obeyed." "Not you, nor Grif himself, shall prevent me doing as I please with the girl," shouted the fellow, rushing forward, madly enraged at the kick he received, which had nearly hurled him to the ground. Keep off!" thundered Quintal, "or, by Satan! |