A HEARTY WELCOME. 159 



Blanche stepped from the carriage, a shout, loud, long and 

 hearty, arose, which vibrated through her very heart., and was 

 again and again repeated by the enthusiastic Stiles and his 

 brother farmers ; during which Beauchamp made his way into 

 the house. 



" William," exclaimed Mrs. Gordon, " what was the mean- 

 ing of that tenific shouting on the hiwn ? " 



" The farmers' welcome to dear Blanche on her happy escape. 

 The moment she was recognised, these honest, kind-hearted 

 fellows could not suj^press their feelings of delight at her rescue 

 from Lord Vancourt's cowardly attack j but see, Malcolm is 

 now returning thanks." 



Lord Malcolm had just ridden up as the cheers subsided, 

 and learning the cause, spoke thus : " Gentlemen, I thank you 

 all from my heart for your loudly expressed, and, I am sure, 

 warmly-felt congratulations on my cousin's escape from the 

 dastardly attempt at her abduction by a cowardly and un- 

 2)rincipled scoundrel, which I have no hesitation in pronouncing 

 Lord Vancourt to be " — (" Hear ! hear ! " shouted Stiles) — ■ 

 " and I take this opportunity," continued Malcolm, " of stating 

 here publicly, that so far from ISIiss Douglas being a willing 

 participator in this vile plot (which has been insinuated by a 

 leading Badical paper in this county), that she would have pre- 

 ferred death to such a fate ; and for myself, gentlemen, as one 

 of her nearest and dearest relatives, I assert that I would rather 

 have seen her consigned to the grave than married to such a 

 man as Lord Yancourt." 



At the termination of this brief harangue, during which a 

 dead silence prevailed, a loud "hurrah ! " again burst forth, 

 amJd cries of " Shame ! shame ! " 



" Now, then," Stiles vociferated, " one cheer more for Lord 

 Malcolm and the young squire, with long lives and good wives 

 to 'em both ! " and another cheer, the strongest and loudest of 

 all, echoed far and wide, making the very armour rattle in the 

 old oak hall. 



" Eh ! 'pon honour ! " exclaimed Captain Markham, who was 

 pouring out some cherry brandy, "those fellows make the very 

 glasses dance on the table. Demmit, Bob, I wish you would 

 stop their brazen throats : we shall have the old building about 

 our ears like the walls of Jericho." 



" Ha ! ha ! not bad for you, Markham," said Conyers ; 

 " but these fellows are intent on propping up, not pulling down, 

 the House of Beauchamp ; let them cheer on, and I only hope 



