THE SMUGGLER. 333 



" Did you ever know a gentleman answering that description ; 

 his features must once have been good; somewhat strongly 

 marked, but fine and of an elevated expression, with a good 

 deal of wildness in the eye, but a particularly bland and beau- 

 tiful smile when he is pleased : too remarkable to be overlooked 

 or forgotten?" 



"Can you be speaking of Mr. Osborn?'' asked Zara, in re- 

 turn. "I barely recollect him in former days; but I and 

 Edith met him about ten days ago; and he remembered and 

 spoke to her." 



The song required her attention, and though she would fain 

 have played the symphony over again, she was afraid her 

 father would remark it, and went on to sing the last two 

 stanzas. As soon as she had concluded, however, she said, 

 in a low, quick voice, "He is a very extraordinary man." 



" Can you give me any sign by which I should know him?" 

 asked Digby. 



"He has now got a number of blue lines traced on his face," 

 answered Zara; "he went abroad to preach to the savages, I 

 have heard. He is a good man, but very eccentric." 



At the same moment the voice of her father was raised, 

 saying, " I wish, my dear, you would not sing such melan- 

 choly things as that. Cannot you find something gayer? I 

 do not like young ladies singing such dull ditties, only fit for 

 sentimental misses of the true French school." 



What was the true French school of his day, I cannot 

 tell. Certainly, it must have been very different from the 

 present. 



" Perhaps Sir Edward will sing something more cheerful 

 himself ?" answered Zara. 



"Oh! I am a very bad musician,'' replied the young officer; 

 " I cannot even accompany myself. If you will, and have any 

 of the few things I know, I shall be very happy. In every- 

 thing, one can but try," he added, in a low voice, "still hope- 

 ing for the best." 



Zara looked over her collection of music with him ; and at last 

 she opened one song which was somewhat popular in those 

 times, though it has long fallen into well- merited oblivion. 

 "Can you venture to sing that?" she asked, pointing to the 

 words rather than the music; "it is quite a soldier's song." 

 Sir Edward Digby read the first line ; and thinking he ob- 



