316 THE SMUGGLED. 



the symptoms of anger were more apparent still. There 

 was the cloudy brow, the flashing eye, the hurried and im- 

 petuous walk, which she had often seen in her own husband, 

 a man very similar in character to him who now approached her, 

 when irritated by harsh words; and Widow Clare prepared 

 to do all she could to soothe him ere Kate's return. 



But Harding did not mention her he loved, demanding, 

 while yet at some distance, "Where is Mr. Radford, Mrs. 

 Clare?" 



"He is not here, Mr. Harding/' replied the widow; " he 

 has not been here since the morning. But what makes you 

 look so cross, Harding? You seem angry." 



" And well I may be, ?J answered Harding, with an oath. 

 " What do you think they have set about? That I informed 

 against them, and betrayed them into the hands of the 

 dragoons, when they know I saw them safe out of the Marsh; 

 and it must have been their own stupidity, or the old man's 

 babbling fears, that ruined them; always trusting people that 

 were sure to be treacherous, and doubting those he knew to 

 be honest. But I'll make him eat his words, or cram them 

 down his throat with my fist." 



" Why, he spoke quite kindly of you this morning, Hard- 

 ing,'' said the widow; "there must be some mistake." 



"Mistake!" cried the smuggler, sharply; "there is no mis- 

 take. It is all over Hythe and Folkestone already, and every 

 one says that it came from him. Can you not tell me where 

 he is gone? Which way did he turn?" 



"Towards his own house," replied Mrs. Clare; "but you had 

 better come in, Harding, and get yourself cool before you go 

 to him. You will speak angrily now, and mischief will come 

 of it. I am sure there is some mistake." 



"I will not sit down till I have made him own it," answered 

 the smuggler. " Perhaps he is up at Harbourne. I'll go 

 there. Where is Kate, Mrs. Clare?" 



"She has gone towards Harbourne House," said the widow, 

 not chosing, in the excited state of his feelings, to tell him her 

 daughter's errand; "but she will be back in one minute, if 

 you will but come in." 



"No," he replied ; " I will come back by-and-bye. Perhaps 

 I shall meet her as I go;" and he was turning towards the 

 wood, when suddenly, at the spot where the road entered 



