386 THE SMUGGLER. 



time ; but the next minute the panic with which the villains 

 had been seized subsided a little. One turned to look back, 

 another turned; they beheld but one man on the road; and 

 all the party were pausing, when Lay ton reached poor Kate 

 Clare, and raised her in his arms. It might have fared ill with 

 him had he been alone; but just at that moment the orderly 

 appeared at the turn, coming up at the gallop, with the young 

 officer's servant behind him; and not doubting that a large 

 party was following, Radford and his companions fled as fast 

 as they could. 



" On after them, like lightning!" cried Layton, as the men 

 came up. "Leave the horse, leave the horse, and away! 

 Watch them wherever they go, especially the man in the green 

 coat! Take him if you can: shoot him dead if he resist. Ah! 

 my poor girl," he cried, with the tears rising in his eyes, "this 

 is sad, indeed! Where has he wounded you?" 



" There," said Kate, faintly taking away her hand, which 

 was pressed' upon her right side ; " but that was his kindest 

 act. Thank God, I am dying!" 



"Nay, nay," answered Leyton, "I trust not!" But the 

 blood poured rapidly out, staining all her dress, which was torn 

 and in wild disorder, and so rapidly did it flow that Layton 

 clearly saw her words would probably prove too true. Who 

 was that villain?" he cried; "I will punish him if there be 

 justice on earth!" 



" Don't you know him?" said Kate, her voice growing more 

 and more low. " I thought you were seeking him: Richard 

 Radford." 



" The atrocious scoundrel!" said Layton; and drawing his 

 handkerchief from his breast, he tied it tightly over her side, 

 trying, though he saw it was nearly in vain, to staunch the 

 blood, while at the same time he supported her against his 

 knee, with one arm thrown round her waist. Poor Kate 

 closed her eyes with a faint shudder, and for a moment Lay- 

 ton thought she was dead. She appeared to bo reviving again, 

 however, when a loud voice, not far distant, exclaimed, "Ha! 

 halloo! What the devil is this?" 



Layton looked suddenly up, for his eyes had been bent on 

 the poor girl's face for several minutes, and then beheld, hur- 

 rying up the road with a look of fury in his countenance, 

 Kate's promised husband, Harding. With a violent oath the 



