THE SMUGGLER. 415 



his apprehension would take place. He would have given 

 worlds to speak for a single instant with one of his own ser- 

 vants ; but none of them appeared ; and while these thoughts 

 were passing rapidly through his brain, the officer Birchett 

 entered the room with a constable, and several other persons 

 followed them in. He was startled from his reverie, however, 

 by Sir Henry Layton's voice demanding: "Have you brought 

 handcuffs, constable?" 



"Oh! ay, sir," answered the man, "I've got the brace- 

 lets." 



"Good evening, Mr. Radford!" said Birchett; "we have 

 hold of you at last, I fancy." 



Mr. Radford was silent, and the young officer demanded, 

 " Have you found anything else, Birchett?" 



"Oh! yes sir, plenty," answered Birchett; "and besides 

 the run goods, things enough to prove all the rest even if we 

 had not proof sufficient before; one of your own dragoon's 

 swords, sir, that must have been snatched up from some poor 

 fellow who was killed. Corporal Hart says, he thinks it 

 belonged to a man named Green," 



" Well, there is your prisoner," replied Lay ton; " you and 

 the constable must take care that he be properly secured. 

 No unnecessary harshness, I beg; but you know how rescue 

 is sometimes attempted, and escape effected. You had better 

 remove him to another room; for we must have all the papers 

 arid different articles of smuggled goods brought hither." 



" I protest against the whole of this proceeding," exclaimed 

 Mr. Radford, on whom the constable was now unceremoniously 

 fixing a pair of handcuffs, "and I beg everybody will take 

 notice of my protest. This person, who is, I suppose, a 

 military officer, is quite going beyond his duty, and acting as 

 if he were a civil magistrate." 



" I am acting- under the orders and authority of a magis- 

 trate, sir," replied Sir Henry Lay ton, "and according to my 

 instructions. Dear Edith," he continued, crossing over to 

 her, and taking her hand as she still clung to her father; for 

 all that I have described had taken place with great rapidity; 

 " you had better go into another room till this is over. We 

 shall have some papers to examine, and I trust another pri- 

 soner before the search is finished. Had she not better retire, 

 Sir Robert?" 



