THE SMUGGLER. 1 29 



if you were going to do what I imagined, it would be the very 

 worst thing in the world for poor Edith." 



" I shall only suppose that you are all that is kind and 

 good," answered Digby, perhaps a little piqued at the indiffe- 

 rence which she so studiously assumed; " and even if I 

 thought, Miss Croyland, that you did take some interest in my 

 poor self, depend upon it, I should not be inclined to go one 

 step farther in the way of vanity than you yourself could wish. 

 I am not altogether a coxcomb. But now tell me how you 

 were led to suspect anything?" 



" Promise me first," said Zara, " that this affair shall not 

 take place. Indeed, indeed, Sir Edward, it must not, on every 

 account!" 



" There is not the slightest chance of any such thing," re- 

 plied Sir Edward Digby. " You need not be under the 

 slightest alarm." 



" What! you do not mean to say," she exclaimed, with her 

 cheeks glowing and her eyes raised to his face, " that you did 

 not come here to fight him?" 



"Not exactly," answered Sir Edward Digby, laughing; 

 " but what I do mean to say, my dear young lady, is, that our 

 friend is half an hour behind his time, and I am not disposed 

 to give him another opportunity of keeping me waiting." 



" And if he had been in time," cried Zara, clasping her 

 hands together and casting down her eyes, " I should have 

 been too late." 



"But tell me," persisted Sir Edward Digby, "how you 

 heard all this. Has my servant, Somers, been indiscreet?" 



"No, no," replied Zara: "no, I can assure you! I saw 

 you go out in your shooting dress, and without a sword. 

 Then I thought it was all over, especially as you had the 

 gamekeepers with you; but some time ago I found that your 

 servant had gone out, carrying a sword under his arm, and 

 had come straight up this road. That made me uneasy. 

 When the gamekeepers came back without you, I was more 

 uneasy still; but I could not get away from my aunt for a 

 few minutes. When I could, however, I got my hat and 

 cloak, and hurried away, knowing that you would not venture 

 to fight in the presence of a woman. As I went out, all my 

 worst fears were confirmed by seeing your servant come back 

 without the sword; and then, not very well knowing, indeed, 



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