THE SMUGGLER. 265 



patrolling round Harbourue Wood, the man who had exercised 

 so terrible an influence upon poor Sir Robert Croyland turned 

 his horse's head upon the path which led straight through the 

 trees towards the cottage of Widow Clare. His face was still 

 dark and cloudy; and trusting to the care and sure-footedness 

 of his beast, he went on with a loose rein and his eyes bent 

 down towards his saddle-bow, evidently immersed in deep 

 thought. When he had got about two- thirds across the wood, 

 he started and turned round his head ; for there was the sound 

 of a horse's feet behind, and he instantly perceived a dragoon 

 following him, and apparently keeping him in sight. Mr. 

 Radford rode on, however, till he came out not far from the 

 gate of Mrs. Clare's garden, when he saw another soldier 

 riding slowly round the wood. With a careless air, however, 

 and as if he scarcely perceived these circumstances, he dis- 

 mounted, buckled the rein of his bridle slowly over the palings 

 of the garden, and went into the cottage, closing the door after 

 him. He found the widow and her daughter busily employed 

 with the needle, making somewhat smarter clothes than those 

 they wore on ordinary occasions. It was poor Kate's bridal 

 finery. 



Mrs. Clare instantly rose, and dropped a low curtsey to Mr. 

 Radford, who had of late years frequently visited her cottage, 

 and occasionally contributed a little to her comfort in a kindly 

 and judicious manner. Sometimes he had sent her down a 

 load of wood, to keep the house warm; sometimes he had 

 given her a large roll of woollen cloth, a new gown for her 

 daughter or herself, or a little present of money. But Mr. 

 Radford had his object: he always had. 



" Well, Mrs. Clare," said Mr. Radford, in as easy and quiet 

 a tone as if nothing had happened to agitate his mind or 

 derange his plans; "so, my pretty little friend, Kate, is going 

 to be married to worthy Jack Harding, I find." 



Kate blushed and held down her head, and Mrs. Clare as- 

 sented with a faint smile. 



'There has been a bad business of it this morning, though,'' 

 said Mr. Radford, looking in Mrs. Clare's face ; " I dare say 

 you've heard all about it, over there, in the valley by Wood- 

 church and Redbrook Street." 



Mrs. Clare looked alarmed, and Kate forgot her timidity, 

 and exclaimed, "Oh! is he safe." 



