A RESCUE. 13 



K 



three miles ; the night, although very misty, was (from the 

 moon beginning to rise) sufficiently light to distinguish objects 

 in passing, when Alice, who was looking through the window, 

 suddenly exclaimed — " The coachman has passed the turning- 

 off to Throseby, miss, and is driving on towards the common." 



" Good heavens ! " replied Blanche, " where can he be going 

 to? Quick, Alice, put your head out of the window, and ask 

 him." 



She had just done so, when the carriage stopped on the edge 

 of the common, near a clump of beech trees, and VancourtV. 

 valet, coming to the door, said Mr. and Mrs. Harcourt had dined, 

 and were going to stay the night at the castle, and had sent 

 Lord Mervyn's carriage to meet her there ; the other being 

 ordered to return home, and come to Marston in the morning. 



Blanche, being greatly surprised at this information, was 

 hesitating how to act, when Mr. Harcourt' s coachman said, 

 " It's all right, miss, you may depend." 



" Now, ma'am, quick, if you please," again interposed the 

 valet ; " I hear some farmers riding this way from market, and 

 we are blocking up the road." 



Still poor Blanche hesitated, having an instinctive dread 

 of some evil impending over her. 



" Stay till the farmers have passed ! " quickly whispered 

 Alice to her mistress. 



"We shall be run over," exclaimed the valet, " if you don't 

 come directly, ma'am." 



"Stay one minute longer, my dear young lady," again 

 whispered her faithful servant, " I'm sure there's something 

 wrong." 



At this instant Beauchamp reached the scene, and, riding 

 furiously up to the carriage, asked, in a stern voice, " What are 

 you doing here, you scoundrels % " 



The same story was again quickly repeated by coachman 

 and valet, when Beauchamp exclaimed to the former, " Turn 

 your horses' heads, this instant, back to the Priory, or I'll send 

 this bullet," drawing a pistol, " through your treacherous brains ; 

 and you, my Lord Vancourt's valet, are my prisoner," said. 

 Beauchamp, seizing him by the collar. 



" Not if I can prevent it," said Lord Vancourt, suddenly 



presenting himself. " How dare you, sir, touch my servant, or 



interfere between Miss Douglas and her guardian's orders % 



She shall return to Marston Castle, even if force is necessary." 



" Ha ! ha ! " shouted Mark, who had just reached the spot. 



