78 THE MASTER OF THE HOUNDS. 



same evening, waiting in the servants' hall until dinner was 

 removed, and the ladies had left the dining-room, when the 

 butler whispered in his young master's ear, " Mark Rosier is 

 waiting to see you, sir." 



Beauchamp rose at once, and, leaving the room, went to the 

 servants' hall. 



" Well, Mark, what's in the wind now ? " 



" Something, sir," replied Mark, in a low tone, " for your 

 ear alone." 



" Oh, very well ; then follow me to the library." 



When the door was closed, Mark placed his ear to the key- 

 hole, for a second or two, to listen. " Ah," said Beauchamp, 

 "there's something particular to-night. What is it, Mark? 

 but our men don't practise that trick, eaves-dropping ; found 

 some more traps set, I suppose, by those rascally Marston 

 keepers % " 



« Worse than that, sir," replied Mark. " I've caught Lord 

 Mervyn himself setting traps — not for foxes, sir, but for a 

 young lady." 



" Ah ! indeed ; what young lady 1 " 



Mark then related the whole story he had heard from 

 Thomas Carter, during which Beauchamp sat listening in 

 breathless silence, his varying colour and contracted brow 

 betraying his inward emotion. When he had finished, Mark 

 inquired, "Well, sir, isn't that a deep and rascally trick ? It 

 beats poaching all to nothing." 



" It's a dark, damnable plot, Mark," replied Beauchamp ; 

 " but a delicate business for me to handle, in warning the young 

 lady of her danger ; she may think it only a trick of mine, to 

 prevent her marrying this young lord, and women are very 

 susjucious in such matters." 



u Yery true, sir, but Miss Constance must do it, not you." 



" Even with her, Mark, it is very ticklish ground to enter 

 upon." 



" Then, sir, I'll settle it for you at once, by putting a bullet 

 through that scamp's head, before ever he enters Marston 

 Castle." 



" Hush ! Mark," said Beauchamp, rising from his chair ; " no 

 man's blood shall be shed on my account." 



" Many a man's blood has been shed for a much less offence 

 than this, sir. What is robbery on the highway to trapping 

 and plundering a young lady of all her property, in this bare- 

 faced manner 1 that's what I want to know." 



