124 THE SMUGGLE!*. 



careless tone; "he thought fit to make an observation upon 

 my saying a few words to your daughter, here, in a low tone, 

 which I conceive every gentleman has a right to do to a fair 

 lady. I told him I thought his conduct insolent; and that 

 was all that passed. I believe the youth has got a bad head- 

 ache from too much of your good wine, Sir Eobert ; therefore, 

 I forgive him. I dare say, he'll be sorry enough for what he 

 said before the day is over, and if he is not, I cannot help it." 



"Well, well, if that's all, it is no great matter!" replied the 

 master of the house; "but here comes round the carriage; 

 run and call Edith, Zara." 



Before the young lady could quit the room, however, her 

 sister appeared, and the only moment they obtained for private 

 conference was at the door of the carriage, after Edith had 

 got in, and while her father was giving some directions to the 

 coachman. No great information could be given or received, 

 indeed, for Sir Eobert returned to the side of the vehicle im- 

 mediately, bade his daughter good-bye, and the carriage rolled 

 away. 



As soon as it was gone, Sir Edward Digby proposed, with 

 the permission of Sir Robert Croyland, to go out to shoot; 

 for he did not wish to subject himself to any further cross-ex- 

 amination by the ladies of the family, and he read many in- 

 quiries in fair Zara's eyes, which he feared might be difficult 

 to answer. Retiring, then, to put on a more fitting costume, 

 while gamekeepers and dogs were summoned to attend him, 

 he took the opportunity of writing a short letter, which he 

 delivered to his servant to post, giving him, at the same time, 

 brief directions to meet him near the cottage of good Mrs. Clare, 

 about half-past two, with the sword which the young officer 

 usually wore when not on military service. Those orders were 

 spoken in so ordinary and commonplace a tone that none but a 

 very shrewd fellow would have discovered that anything was 

 going for ward different from the usual occurrences of the day ; but 

 Somers ivas a very shrewd fellow, and in a few minutes, judg- 

 ing from what he had observed while waiting on his master 

 during dinner on the preceding day, he settled the whole 

 matter entirely to his own satisfaction, thinking, according to 

 the phraseology of those times, " Sir Edward will pink him, 

 and a good thing too; but it will spoil sport here, I've a 

 notion." 



