102 THE SMUGGLER. 



he came upon the parish road, and trotting on hard along the 

 edge of Harbourne Wood. He had drunk as much wine as his 

 son; but his hard and well-seasoned head was quite insensi- 

 ble to the effects of strong beverages, and he went on revolv- 

 ing all probable contingencies, somewhat sullen and out of 

 humour with all that had passed during the afternoon, and 

 taking a very unpromising view of everybody and everything. 



" IVe a notion," he thought, "that old scoundrel Croyland 

 is playing fast and loose about his daughter's marriage with 

 my son. He shall repent it if he do ; and if Dick does not 

 make the girl pay for all her airs and coldness when he's got 

 her, he's no son of mine. He seems as great a fool as she is, 

 though, and makes love to her sister without a penny, never 

 saying a word to a girl who has forty thousand pounds. The 

 thing shall soon be settled one way or another, however. I'll 

 have a conference with Sir Robert on Friday, and bring him 

 to book. I'll not be trifled with any longer. Here we have 

 been kept more than four years waiting till the girl chooses to 

 make up her mind, and I'll not stop any longer. It shall be 

 yes or no, at once.'' 



He was still busy with such thoughts when he reached the 

 angle of Harbourne Wood, and a loud voice exclaimed, "Hi! 

 Mr. Radford!" 



"Who the devil are you?" exclaimed that worthy gentle- 

 man, pulling in his horse, and at the same time putting his 

 hand upon one of the holsters, which every one at that time 

 carried at his saddle-bow. 



"Harding, sir,'' answered the voice; "Jack Harding, and 

 I want to speak a word with you." 



At the same time the man walked forward; and Mr. Rad- 

 ford immediately dismounting, gave his horse to the servants, 

 and told them to lead him quietly on till they came to Tiifen- 

 den. Then pausing till the sound of the hoofs become some- 

 what faint, he asked, with a certain degree of alarm, "Well, 

 Harding, what's the matter? What has brought you up in 

 such a hurry to-night?" 



"No great hurry, sir," answered the smuggler; "I came 

 up about four o'clock; and finding that you were dining at 

 Sir Robert's, I thought I would look out for you as you went 

 home, having something to tell you. I got an inkling last 

 night, that, some how or another, the people down at Hythe 



