250 THE SMUGGLER. 



lives have been sacrificed, and a felony has been committed; 

 so that if he is wise, and can manage it, he will get out of 

 England. If he fail of escaping, or venture to show himself, 

 he will grace the gallows, depend upon it." 



"Heaven be praised 1" cried Mr. Croyland. "Give me 

 the first tidings, when it is to happen, Harry, that I may order 

 four horses, and hire a window. I would not have him hanged 

 without my seeing it for a hundred pounds." 



Sir Henry Lay ton smiled faintly, saying, "Those are sad 

 sights, my dear sir, and we have too many of them in this 

 county; but you have not told me, from whom you received 

 intimation that Captain Osborn and Henry Osborn Layton 

 were the same person." 



"That's a secret, that's a secret, Hal/' answered Mr. Croy- 

 land. " So now tell me when you'll come. You'll be over 

 to-night, I suppose, or have time and wisdom tamed the eager- 

 ness of love?" 



" Oh no! my dear sir," answered Layton; "but I have still 

 some business to settle here, and have promised to be in Hythe 

 to-night. Before I go, however, I will ride over for an hour 

 or two, for, till I have seen that dear girl again, and have 

 heard her feelings and her wishes from her own lips, my 

 thoughts will be all in confusion. I shall be calmer and more 

 reasonable afterwards." 



"Much need!" answered Mr. Croyland. "But now I 

 must leave you. I shan't say a word about it all, till you 

 coQie; for preparing people's mind is all nonsense. It is only 

 drawing them out upon the rack of expectation, which leaves 

 them bruised and crushed, with no power to resist whatever 

 is to come afterwards. But don't be long, Harry, for remem- 

 ber that delays are dangerous." 



Layton promised to set out as soon as one of his messen- 

 gers, whom he expected every instant, had returned; and 

 going down with Mr. Croyland to the door of his carnage, he 

 bade him adieu, and watched him as he drove away, gratifying 

 the eyes of the people of Woodchurch with a view of his fine 

 person, as he stood uncovered at the door. In the mean time, 

 Mr. Croyland took his way slowly back towards his own 

 dwelling. 



What had happened there during his absence, we shall see 

 presently. 



