254 THE SMUGGLER. 



prawns; but all agreed that never had such a large body of 

 contraband traders been assembled before, or suffered such a 

 disastrous defeat, in any of their expeditions. 



Sir Edward Digby gathered from the whole account, that 

 his friend had been fully successful, that the smugglers had 

 fought fiercely, that blood had been shed, and that Richard 

 Badford, after having taken an active part in the affray, was 

 now a fugitive, and, as the young baronet fancied, never to 

 appear upon the stage again. But still Sir Bobert Croyland 

 did not seem by any means so well pleased as might have 

 been wished; and a dark and thoughtful cloud would fre- 

 quently come over his heavy brow, while a slight twitching 

 of his lip seemed to indicate that anxiety had as great a share 

 in his feelings as mortification. 



Mrs. Barbara Croyland amused herself, as usual, by doing 

 her best to tease every one around her, and by saying the 

 most malapropos things in the world. She spoke with great 

 commiseration of " the poor smugglers :" every particle of 

 her pity was bestowed upon them. She talked of the soldiers 

 as if they had been the most fierce and sanguinary monsters 

 in Europe, who had attacked, unprovoked, a party of poor 

 men that were doing them no harm ; till Zara's glowing cheek 

 recalled to her mind, that these very blood-thirsty dragoons 

 were Sir Edward Digby's companions and friends; and then 

 she made the compliment more pointed by apologizing to the 

 young baronet, and assuring him that she did not think for a 

 moment he would commit such acts. Her artillery was next 

 turned against her brother; and, in a pleasant tone of raillery, 

 she joked him upon the subject of young Mr. Badford, and of 

 the search the soldiers had made, looking with a meaning 

 smile at Zara, and saying, " She dared say, Sir Bobert could 

 tell where he was, if he liked." 



The baronet declared, sharply and truly, that he knew no- 

 thing about the young man; but Mrs. Barbara shook her 

 head and nodded, and looked knowing, adding various agree- 

 able insinuations of the same kind as before, all in the best 

 humour possible, till Sir Bobert Croyland was put quite out 

 of temper, and would have retorted violently, had he not known 

 that to do so always rendered the matter ten times worse. Even 

 poor Zara did not altogether escape ; but, as we are hurrying on 

 to important events, we must pass over her share of infliction. 



