THE SMUGGLER. 385 



that time, as there is now, I believe, a broad road through 

 Hangley Wood, leading into the cross-road from Biddenden to 

 Goudhurst; but at that period, instead of being tolerably 

 straight and good, it was very tortuous, rough, and uneven. 

 Along this forest path, for so it might be called, the dragoons 

 had taken their way, at a quick trot; and by it their young 

 colonel followed, with his arms crossed upon his chest, and his 

 head bent down, in deep and anxious meditation. The dis- 

 tance across the wood at that part is nearly a mile; and when 

 he had reached the other side, Lay ton turned upon his steps 

 again, passed his servant and the orderly, and walked slowly 

 on the road back to Cranbrook. The two men went to the 

 extreme verge of the wood, and looked out towards Iden 

 Green for a minute or two before they followed their officer, 

 so that in the turnings of tlie road, they were out of sight by 

 the time he had gone a quarter of a mile. 



Layton's thoughts were busy, as may be well supposed; 

 but at length they were suddenly interrupted by loud, repeated, 

 and piercing shrieks, apparently proceeding from a spot at 

 some distance before him. Darting on, with a single glance 

 behind, and a loud shout to call the men up, he rushed forward 

 along the road, and the next instant beheld a sight which 

 made his blood boil with indignation. At first, he merely 

 perceived a girl, struggling in the hands of some five or six 

 ruffians, who were maltreating her in the most brutal manner; 

 but in another instant, as, drawing his sword, he rushed for- 

 ward, he recognised for it can scarely be said, he saw poor 

 Kate Clare. With another loud shout to his men to come up, 

 he darted on without pause or hesitation; but his approach 

 was observed ; the ruffians withdrew from around their victim, 

 and one of them exclaimed, "Run, run! the dragoons are 

 coming 1" 



"D me! give her a shot before you go," cried another, 

 " or she'll peach." 



"Let her," cried young Radford; "but here goes;" and 

 turning as he hurried away, he deliberately fired a pistol at the 

 unhappy girl, who was starting up wildly from the ground. 

 She instantly reeled and fell, some seconds before Layton 

 could reach her, for she was still at the distance of a hundred 

 yards. 



All this had taken place in an inconceivably short space of 

 B B 



