232 .THE SMUGGLER. 



answered Mowle, "that I must say; and I'm sure if you like 

 to establish your quarters for the morning at Mr. Croyland's 

 there, on just before, he will make you heartily welcome, for 

 he hates smugglers as much as any one.'' 



The young officer shook his head, saying, " No, I will go 

 to Woodchurch." 



But he gazed earnestly at the house for several minutes, 

 before he turned his horse towards the village ; and then, leav- 

 ing the minor arrangements to be made by the inferior officers, 

 he rode slowly and silently away. 



CHAPTER XXII. 



WE must turn, dear reader, to other persons and to other 

 scenes, but still keep to that eventful day when the smugglers, 

 who had almost fancied themselves lords of Kent, first met 

 severe discomfiture at the hands of those sent to suppress their 

 illicit traffic. Many small parties had before been defeated, 

 it is true ; many a cargo of great value, insufficiently protected, 

 had been seized. Such, indeed, had been the case with the 

 preceding adventure of Richard Radford ; and such had been, 

 several times, the result of overweening confidence; but the 

 free-traders of Kent had still, more frequently, been successful 

 in their resistance of the law; and they had never dreamed that 

 in great numbers, and with every precaution and care to boot, 

 they could be hemmed in and overpowered, in a country with 

 every step of which they were well acquainted. They had 

 now, however, been defeated, as I have said, for the first time, 

 in a complete and conclusive manner, after every precaution 

 had been taken, and when every opportunity had been afforded 

 them of trying their strength with the dragoons, as they had 

 often boastfully expressed a wish to do. 



But we must now leave them and turn to the interior of the 

 house near which the strife took place. Nay, more, we must 

 enter a fair lady's chamber, and watch her as she lies, during 

 the night of which we have already given so many scenes, 

 looking for a while into her waking thoughts and slumbering 

 dreams; for that night passed in a strange mingling of sleep- 

 less fancies and of drowsy visions, 



