150 THE SMUGGLER. 



you were a gay, kind-hearted girl of fourteen, and that he was 

 sure, if I spoke to you about him, you would tell me all that I 

 wanted to know with truth and candour." 



** That was kind of him," said Zara, with some emotion, 

 " that was very kind. I am glad he knows me; and yet that 

 very candour, Sir Edward, some people call affectation, and 

 some impudence. I am afraid that those who know much of the 

 world never judge rightly of those who know little of it. 

 Sincerity is a commodity so very rare, I am told, in the best 

 society, that those who meet with it never believe that they 

 have got the genuine article." 



" I know a good deal of the world," replied the young 

 baronet, "but yet, my dear Miss Croyland, I do not think 

 that I have judged you wrongly;" and he fell into thought. 



The next moment they turned up to the house of old Mr, 

 Croyland; and while the servants were holding the horses, 

 and Zara, with the aid of Sir Edward Digby, dismounting at 

 the door, they saw, to her horror and consternation, a large 

 yellow coach coming down the hill towards the house, and 

 which she instantly recognised as her father's family vehicle. 



"My aunt, my aunt, upon my life!" exclaimed Zara, with 

 a rueful shake of the head. "I must speak one word with 

 Edith before she comes; so forgive me, Sir Edward," and she 

 darted into the house, asking a black servant, in a shawl tur- 

 ban and a long white gown, where Miss Croyland was to be 

 found. 



" She out in de garden, pretty missy," replied the man ; 

 and Zara ran on through the vestibule before her. Unfortu- 

 nately, vestibules will have doors communicating with them, 

 which, I have often remarked, have an unhappy propensity to 

 open when any one is anxious to pass by them quietly. It 

 was so in the present instance. Roused from a reverie by the 

 ringing of the bell, and the sound of voices without, Mr. 

 Croyland issued forth just at the moment when Zara's light 

 foot was carrying her across to the garden, and catching her 

 by the arm, he detained her, asking, "What brought you here, 

 saucy girl, and whither are you running so fast?" 



Now Zara, though she was not good Mr. Zachary's favou- 

 rite, had a very just appreciation of her uncle's character, and 

 knew that the simple truth was less dangerous with him than 

 with nine hundred and ninety-nine persons out of a thousand 



