THE SMUGGLER. 355 



fellow, and said you were waiting for her at my house. I was 

 obliged to make up a little bit of a story too, and tell her you 

 knew all about it, but that was no great harm; for I was 

 resolved you should know all about it, very soon/* 



"Lied like a good honest fellow!" murmured Sir Robert 

 Croyland, to himself. " Well," he continued, aloud, " at all 

 events I must come over to-morrow, and try to reconcile the 

 poor girl to it," 



"Do so, do so,'' answered Mr. Radford; "and in the 

 mean time, I must be off, for I've still a good deal of work to 

 do to-night. Did you see, they have withdrawn the dragoons 

 from the wood? They knew it would be of no use to keep 

 them there. So now, good night: that's all settled." 



"All settled, indeed," murmured Sir Robert Croyland, as 

 Mr. Radford left him; and, for nearly half an hour after, he 

 continued sitting in the library, with his hands clasped upon 

 his knee, exactly in the same position. 





