1 90 THE SMUGGLER. 



orders of Cornet Joyce." To the third: "Yon, Wood, be off 

 to Ashford, and tell Lieutenant Green to bring down all bis 

 men as far as Bromley Green, taking up the party at Kings- 

 north. Let him be there by three; and remember, these are 

 private orders. Not a word to any one." 



The men sprang into the saddles as soon as the -last words 

 were spoken, and rode away in different directions; and, after 

 bidding his servant bring round his horse, the young officer 

 remained standing at the door of the inn, with his tall form 

 erect, his arms crossed upon his chest, and his eyes gazing 

 towards Harbourne House. He was in the midst of the scenes 

 where his early days had been spent. Every object around 

 him was familiar to his eye: not a hill, not a wood, not a 

 church steeple or a farm-house, but had its association with 

 some of those bright things which leave a lustre in the 

 evening sky of life, even when the day-star of existence has 

 set. There were the pleasant hours of childhood, the sports 

 of boyhood, the dreams of youth, the love of early manhood. 

 The light that memory cast upon the whole might not be 

 so strong and powerful, might not present them in so real and 

 definite a form, as in the full clay of enjoyment; but there is 

 a great difference between that light of memory, when it 

 brightens a period of life that may yet renew the joys which 

 have passed away for a time, and when it shines upon plea- 

 sures gone for ever. In the latter case it is but as the moon- 

 light: a reflected beam, without the warmth of fruition or the 

 brilliancy of hope; but in the former it is as the glow of the 

 descending sun, which sheds a purple lustre through the vista 

 of the past, and gives a promise of returning joy even as it 

 sinks away. He stood, then, amongst the scene of his early 

 years, with hope refreshed, though still with the remembrance 

 of sorrows tempering the warmth of expectation, perhaps 

 shading the present. It wanted, indeed, but some small circum- 

 stance, by bearing afar, like some light wind, the cloud of 

 thought, to give to all around the bright hues of other days, 

 and that was soon afforded. He had not remained there above 

 two or three minutes when the landlord of the public-house 

 came out, and stood directly before him. 



"Ohl I forgot your bill, my good fellow," said the young 

 officer. "What is my score?" 7 



"No, sir, it is not that," answered the man, "but T think 



