232 THE MASTER OF THE HOUNDS. 



a man, Alice \ indeed, I never would,' she said, ' if Aunt Har- 

 court turned me out of her house for refusing him.' 'No 

 more wouldn't I, my dear young mistress,' said I, ( even to 

 be made a lady of!' Then, the next morning, over comes 

 Mrs. Gordon, and orders me to pack up her things directly, 

 as Miss Blanche shouldn't stop another hour at Throseby, to 

 be worried about that good-for-nothing man, Lord Vancourt, 

 who, I heard her tell Mrs. Harcourt, was no better than he 

 should be." 



" Well, Alice," interposed Mr. Whalley, " that will do ; now 

 tell me what happened on the night you left the Priory to 

 return to Throseby 1 " 



Alice having related all the adventures on that occasion, 

 with some comments of her own, was then asked if she could 

 positively swear to Lord Vancourt being the man who attempted 

 to drag her mistress from, the carriage ; and on this poinb being 

 most positive, Mr. Whalley said he need not detain her any 

 longer, and Serjeant Wrangler prudently declined preventing 

 her standing down from the witness-box. 



Robert Conyers, examined by Mr. Whalley : — 



"How long have you known Miss Douglas ? " 



" Since childhood." 



"Have you had any opportunities of knowing her true 

 character and disposition 1 " 



"Very many — having narrowly observed her, from being 

 on very intimate terms with her relatives ; and for the last two 

 years she has been more immediately under my own eye, from 

 my instructing her in riding." 



" What has been your opinion of her, Mr. Conyers ? ' 



" She has ever been a timid, gentle girl, of a very affectionate 

 but retiring disposition, with strong religious principles." 



" You were aware, I believe, of Lord Vancourt being invited 

 to Marston Castle, and Mr. and Mrs. Harcourt being asked to 

 spend a few days there at the same time, with their ward, Miss 

 Douglas % " 



" I was, sir ; and two days previously to their leaving 

 Throseby, I warned Miss Douglas of the plot which had been 

 concocted to ensnare her, and the character I had heard of Lord 

 Vancourt, at which she was exceedingly astonished." 



" You attended, I believe, the ball at Cherrington, and over- 

 heard a conversation between Lord Vancourt and Mr. Vernon 

 there, relative to this attempted abduction 1 " 



" Yes, I did." 



