THE SMUGGLER. 349 



home, I shall have put a bar against Mr. Richard Radford's 

 claims to Edith, which he may find insurmountable." 



As he was speaking, Sir Edward Digby returned, quicken- 

 ing his horse's pace as he came near, and pointing with his 

 hand. " You have got a detachment out, I see, Lay ton," he 

 said; " is there any new affair before you?" 



"Oh! no," replied the colonel; "it is merely Irby and a 

 part of his troop, whom I have despatched to search the wood, 

 for I have certain intelligence that the man we are seeking is 

 concealed there." 



"They may save themselves the trouble," replied Zara, 

 shaking her head; "for though he was certainly there all 

 yesterday, he made his escape this morning." 



Lay ton bit his lip, and his brow grew clouded. **" That is 

 unfortunate," he said, "most unfortunate 1 I do not ask you 

 how you know, Zara; but are you quite sure?" 



"Perfectly," she answered; "I would not deceive you for 

 the world, Layton, and I only say what I have said, because 

 I think that, if you do search the wood, it may draw attention 

 to your being in this neighbourhood, which as yet is not known 

 at Harbourne, and it may embarrass us very much." 



"I am not sure, Layton," said Sir Edward Digby, "that 

 as far as your own purposes are concerned, it might not be 

 better to seem, at all events, to withdraw the troops, or at 

 least a part of them from this neighbourhood. Indeed, though 

 I have no right to give you advice upon the subject, I think 

 also it might be beneficial in other respects, for as soon as the 

 smugglers think you gone, they will act with more freedom." 



"I propose to do so, to-morrow, 5 ' replied the colonel, "but 

 I have some information already, and expect more, upon which 

 I must act in the first place. It will be as well, however, to 

 stop Irby's party, if there is no end to be obtained by their 

 proceedings." 



He then took leave of Zara and his friend, mounted his 

 horse, and rode back to meet the troop that was advancing; 

 while Zara and Sir Edward Digby, after following the same 

 road up to the first houses of Woodchurch, turned away to the 

 right, and went back to Harbourne by the small country road 

 which leads from Kenardington to Tenterden. 



Their conversation, as they went, would be of very little 

 interest to the reader; for it consisted almost altogether of 



