THE SMUGGLER. 35 1 



tating glance at his guest, while Mrs. Barbara and Zara retired 

 from the room. 



"Pray, do not let me detain you, Sir Robert," said the young 

 officer; " I have taken as much wine as I ever do, and will go 

 and join the ladies in the drawing room." 



The customs of the day required that the master of the 

 house should press the bottle upon his guest; and Sir Robert 

 Croyland did not fail to do so. But Digby remained firm, 

 and, to settle the question, walked quietly to the door and 

 entered the drawing-room. There, he found Zara seated; but 

 Mrs. Barbara was standing near the table, and apparently in 

 a state, for which the English language supplies but one term, 

 and that not a very classical one. I mean, she was in a 

 fidget. 



The reader is aware that the library of Harbourne House 

 was adjacent to the drawing-room, and that there was a door 

 between them. It was a thick, solid, oaken door, however, 

 such as shut out the wind in the good old times ; and, more- 

 over, it fitted very close. Thus, though the minute after Sir 

 Edward had entered the room, a low murmur, as of persons 

 speaking somewhat loud, was heard from the library, not a 

 single syllable could be distinguished; and Mrs. Barbara looked 

 at the keyhole, with a longing indescribable. After about 

 thirty seconds' martyrdom, Mrs. Barbara quitted the room: 

 Zara, who knew her aunt, candidly trusting that she had gone 

 to put herself out of temptation ; and Sir Edward Digby never 

 for a moment imagining, that she could have been in any 

 temptation at all. It may now be necessary, however, to fol- 

 low Sir Robert Croyland to the library, and to reveal to the 

 reader all that Mrs. Barbara was so anxious to learn. 



He found Mr. Radford, booted and spurred, standing, with 

 his tall, bony figure, in as easy an attitude as it could assume, 

 by the fire-place; and the baronet's first question was, "In the 

 name of heaven, Radford, what has become of Edith? Neither 

 she nor the carriage have returned." 



" Oh! yes, the carriage has, half an hour ago!" replied Mr. 

 Radford; " and I met the horses going back as I came. Didn't 

 you get my message which I sent by the coachman?" 



' Xo, I must have been at dinner," answered Sir Robert 

 Croyland, " and the fools did not give it to me." 



" Well, it is no great matter," rejoined Mr. Radford, iu the 



