120 NOTUS OF A TO\y\ TRAVKLLKR. 



of seeing before. ' What me you doing here, Bess — can't Liikiii an- 

 swer the bell ? Come, trudge ofi', and go to bed. As for you, sir,' he 

 continued, turning to me, and looking as fierce as a tiger, ' if you don't 

 know how to behave in a body's house on the roadside, you'll find some 

 one, perhaps, who will teach you, and that in a very short time.' 



" I could almost fancy I saw the blade of the dagger glittering before 

 me ; — the ill-omened words rushed to my recollection ; — new fuel seemed 

 added to the flame. — ' That in a very short time.' 



"The appearance of the men, their coarse manners, the loneliness of 

 the house — nay, every thing, tended to confirm my suspicions. The poor 

 girl, too ! some deluded victim, no doubt, brought from London. Ro- 

 mances, legends of old, in which I had read, in my boyhood, of bravos 

 capturing princesses, and obliging helpless beauty to serve them as 

 their cup-bearer, and in some instances to become their wife, in a mo- 

 ment rushed to my imagination. I shuddered at the thought. Could 

 such a creature as Bessy be the wife of such a wretch .' — Tliere was a 

 modesty, a puritv in her manners, which plainly convinced me she was 

 not his sister, and, by her features, no relation. 



" Brought back, as it were, to a sense of honour, from the stern manner 

 in which I had been addressed, I blamed myself for the inconsiderate 

 manner I had acted towards her, and I now thought, had I pursued a dif- 

 ferent course when she first entered the room, I might have learned her 

 history, perhaps saved her from a life of misery and shame, and myself 

 from being murdered. It was now eleven o'clock — the door opened, and 

 Lukin entered. 



"'Your light, sir,' meaning my bed-candle. 'What time would 

 vour honour like to be called in the morning ? Being such a quiet place, 

 gentlemen who stops here generally sleeps very long.' I thought I 

 could distinguish a smile of triumph on the fellow's lip. 



" ' Indeed !' I replied. 



" He was leaving the room, but before he reached the door, suddenly 

 turning round — 



" ' Oh ! I beg pardon, sir,' he said, ' but master — that is, as how, 

 master's son, — the old gentleman's up stairs, laid up with the gout — ' 



" ' Oh ! the person whom I saw just now was your master's son, eh ?' 



" ' Yes, sir. Master Gregory. He desired I to say he hoped as how 

 you wouldn't be very much oft'ended with what he had said just now ; 

 he's had one or two friends here to- day, sir, and they've had a little 

 brandy together.' The latter part of the sentence was said in a half- 

 whisper, as an excuse for his master's abrupt address to me. 



" ' Well,' I replied. 



" ' He begged I to say, sir, that if you would have no objection, the 

 old gentleman would take a bit of a lift with you in the morning.' 



"'Oh! no objection in the least;' I quickly replied. My spirits 

 began to revive. After all, they might be honest. 



" ' How far will he go ?' I inquired. 



" ' As far as the church-yard, sir.' A sudden chill came over me. 



"'He's going to try the change for the benefit of his health : his 

 brother Nicholas — Old Nick, as I calls him, will be main glad to see 

 him, I know ; besides, it's warmer for the old gentleman a little way 

 belotv there, and young master thinks as how he'll be better able to keep 



