416 THE SMUGGLER. 



But Mr. Radford raised his voice again, as the constable 

 was moving him towards the door, exclaiming, "At all events, 

 I claim my right to witness all these extraordinary proceed- 

 ings. It is most unjust and illegal for you to seize and do 

 what you will with my private papers, in my absence." 



" It is a very common occurrence," said Sir Henry Layton, 

 "in criminal cases like your own." 



" Let him remain, let him remain!" said Sir Robert Croy- 

 land. "He can but interrupt us a little. Oh! here is the 

 clerk at last! Now, Edith, my love, you had better go; these 

 are no scenes for you." 



Layton took her by the hand, and led her to the door, 

 bending down his head and whispering as he went, " Be under 

 no alarm, dear girl. All will go well." 



" Are you sure, Harry .^ are you sure?" asked Edith, gazing 

 anxiously in his face. 



" Certain," he replied; " your father's decision has saved 

 him." 



As he spoke, there was a violent ringing at the bell; and 

 Mr. Radford said to himself, "It is that unhappy boy; he 

 will be taken, to a certainty." But the next instant, he 

 thought, " No, no, he would never come to the front door. 

 It must be some more of their party." 



Sir Robert Croyland, in the mean time, seated himself at 

 the end of the table, and handed over a number of papers, 

 which Layton had given him at his own house, to the clerk, 

 who, by his direction, seated himself near. " I have no 

 objection, Mr. Radford," he said, turning to the prisoner, 

 " that you should hear read, if you desire it, the depositions 

 on which I have granted a warrant for your apprehension, 

 and, at the requisition of the officers of customs, have autho- 

 rised your premises to be searched for the smuggled goods, a 

 part of which has been found upon them. The depositions 

 are those of a man named George Jones, since dead, and of 

 Michael Scalesby, and Edward Larchant, at present in the 

 hands of justice; and the information is laid by John Mowle 

 and Stephen Birchett." 



At the recital of the names of several of the men whom he 

 himself had furnished with arms and directions, Mr. Radford's 

 heart sunk; but the moment after, a gleam of bitter satisfac- 

 tion sprang up in his breast, as the door opened, and Mr. 



