THE SMUGGLE!*. 313 



opinions, somewhat over-excited in imagination, but that is 

 not madness. His promises give me hope, I will confess; but 

 still I will act as if they had not been made. Now let us 

 speak of our plans; and first tell me what has taken place at 

 Harbourne, for you seem to know all the particulars already 

 which I sent for you to communicate, though how you learned 

 them I cannot divine." 



" Oh! my dear Layton, if I were to tell you all that has hap- 

 pened," replied Sir Edward Digby, " I should have to go on 

 as long as a Presbyterian minister, or a popular orator. I had 

 better keep to the point;" and be proceeded to relate to his 

 friend the substance of the conversation which had last taken 

 place between himself and Zara. 



"It is most fortunate," answered Layton, "that dear girl 

 has thus become acquainted with the facts; for Edith would 

 not have told her, and now we have some chance of obtaining 

 information of all that occurs, which must be our great secu- 

 rity. However, since I returned, I have obtained valuable 

 information, which puts good Mr. Radford's liberty, if not his 

 life, in my power. Three of the men whom we have taken, 

 distinctly state that he sent them upon this expedition himself, 

 armed, and mounted them ; and, therefore, he is a party to the 

 whole transaction. I have sent off a messenger to Mowle, the 

 officer, as faithful and as true a fellow as ever lived, begging 

 him to bring me up, without a moment's delay, a magistrate 

 in whom he can trust; for one of the men is at the point of 

 death, and all the justices round this place are so imbued with 

 the spirit of smuggling, that I do not choose the depositions 

 to be taken by them. I have received and written down the 

 statements made before witnesses, and the men have signed 

 them, but I have no power in this case to administer an oath. 

 As soon as the matter is in more formal train, I shall insist 

 upon the apprehension of Mr. Radford, whatever be the con- 

 sequences to Sir Robert Croyland; for here my duty to the 

 country is concerned, and the very powers with which I am 

 entrusted, render it imperative upon me so to act.' 7 



" If you can catch him, if you can catch him!" replied Sir 

 Edward Digby. " But be sure, my dear Layton, if he once 

 discovers that you have got such a hold upon him, he will take 

 care to render that matter difficult. You may find it trouble- 

 some, also, to get a magistrate to act as you desire; for they 



