"You'll prance up and down there all night, I'll war'nt, then, and zo keep me from getting a bit of rest:-you be aveard to lie down, ay, or zit."

of

“I am afraid of nothing and nobody," replied Abel, indignantly; "and you know it, neighbour Braintree: but no sneering yours, will tempt me; I'm up to thee, Saul; so be quiet;-or say your prayers. I'm never so fit to serve my King and country, or the parochial authorities, as when my wits are sharpened by an extra cup or two."

"Or dree, I z'pose?" added Saul.-" Poor zoul! thee wants a little spirit put into thee."

"I want spirit! when did I lack it?" exclaimed Abel.—“ Not a man in the parish ever attempts to raise a hand against me." "No, truly, Yeabel; I'll zay this vor thee, thou'rt such a weak, harmless, old body, that a man would as zoon think of wopping his grandmother as wopping thee."

Abel's wrath was now roused, and he began to speechify and swagger. Saul said no more, but stretched himself upon the mattress which the 'squire had humanely ordered to be placed on the floor, within reach of his tether, holding the rope under him, so that, without turning him over, it was impossible to discover that it had been severed. Just previously to the constable's entrance, Ponto, in obedience to the command of Saul, had retreated beneath a large oak table, the flap of which altogether concealed him from observation; and there lay the well-trained animal, with his head resting on his fore-paws, and his eyes fixed on Saul, perfectly motionless, and watching for further commands.

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About an hour after midnight, when all seemed quiet belowstairs, Saul turned on his mattress, and beheld Abel still tottering to and fro, like an invalid grenadier upon guard. He waited for an opportunity, when the constable's back was toward him, to start up, seize Abel by the throat, and lay him flat upon the floor. Yeabel,” said he, in a low tone, “I hope I ha'n't hurt thee much. I be zorry to harm thee at all, old buoy; but needs must. I be gwain off, Yeabel;—I doan't mean to put the county to the expense o' prosecuting me,-zo I be gwain.-Doan't be aveard,— I won't choke thee:-there," added he, relaxing his powerful gripe; "I'll let thee breathe; but if thee speaks-remember, Yeabel,-I be a desperate man, and I must zilence thee :one knock o' the head 'ud do't; zo keep thy peace, and do as I tells thee quietly;—I won't have a word, mind me. Take thic

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thingumbob out o' thy waistcoat pocket, and unvasten these bracelets thou'st put about my wrists. Iv thy conscience to thy King and country won't let thee do't wi'out being put in bodily vear, I'll trouble thee wi' another grip o' the droat. But, I doant wish any thing o' the zort myzelf, unless needs must.Ponto, dog!"

Ponto started up and was by his master's side in a moment. "That infernal dog here too!" ejaculated Abel.

Ay, zure!-but zilence! It yean't wize vor I to let thee open thy lips: zo go to work like a dummy. Make haste, and dost hear, Yeabel? put down the handcuffs quietly. Now doan't tempt me to hurt thee, by making a vool o' thyzelf. Be ruled, that's a good vellow. I can get off,-doan't 'ee zee?-spite o' the cuffs; but it will be more convenient and agreeable to leave 'em behind." By this time, Abel had set Braintree's arms completely at liberty.

"Now, Yeabel," continued Saul, still kneeling over the constable," now, old blade, I'll leave thee wi' Ponto; but doan't thee move or call out, if thee values thy old droat. He'll worry thee like a wolf 'ud a wether, if thee moves or makes as much noise as a mouse: but be quiet-be still, and he'll ztand over thee and not harm thee vor hours. Thee knowest the dog; and thee know'st me well enough to be zertain I wouldn't leave thee, vit to make a 'larm, if I wer'n't zure o' the dog. I don't want to hurt thee, zo I leaves thee wi' un: but, mind—he'll hold thy droat a little tighter than I did, if thee wags a hair.-Ponto!" added Saul, turning to the fine animal, who seemed to be listening to what he had said; "mind un, Ponto!-Steady, good dog!Soho! and steady! but mind un !"

To use a sporting phrase, Ponto immediately "stood;" he threw himself into an attitude that even Saul, as he departed, pronounced to be beautiful. His eye was keenly fixed upon Abel; the roots of his ears were elevated and brought forward; one of his fore-legs was held up, and curved so that the claws nearly touched his body; his tail no longer curled, but stood out straight on a level with his back; every muscle in his frame seemed, as it were, to be upon the alert; he appeared on the point of making a spring forward; but no statue ever stood more motionless on its pedestal, than Ponto did over the prostrate and terrified constable.

Braintree lost no time after he left the room which had been his temporary prison: he descended cautiously to the ground

floor, and versed as he had been in his boyhood, and for several years after time had written man upon his brow, in the topography of the old Hall, he easily found an outlet, and escaped without creating any alarm.

In a paddock adjoining the pleasure-grounds of the Hall, he caught a horse, which had been turned out on account of a sandcrack; twisted a hazel, from the hedge, into a halter and mouthpiece; leaped the fence; and, in less than half an hour, by dint of hard galloping across the country,-clearing every thing as though he was riding a steeple-chase,-Saul reached his own cottage. Meg and her daughter were still up, the wife weeping, and the child praying for Saul's safe deliverance. He beat at the door, and Meg clasped the girl to her breast and exclaimed, "Oh! what now?-what now? They're surely coming for thee, Peggy! They'll leave me to murder myself—childless!"

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Open the door, Meg-my own Meg!" said Saul, without; "'tis I, Meg; thy poor Zaul."

Braintree was soon by his own hearth, with his wife and daughter weeping and hanging round his neck.

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Well, and how is it, Saul?" inquired Meg, as soon as she could find utterance.

"Art discharged, father?" said Peggy.

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'No, child,” replied Saul; "I be 'scaped! I shouldn't ha' zeen thee, wench, nor thy mother neither, but whoam laid in my road. I be zafe yet till day-light, if Ponto's as true as I've a' zeen un avore now. But I shouldn't zay if, vor I be zure ov un.”

In reply to the inquiries of his wife, Saul briefly related the result of his conversation with Martin, the manner of his escape from old Abel, and his intention to fly the country for ever, if he could. "Not," added he, "that I think they could bring aught whoam to me, upon trial; though I didn't think zo, when I were tied up by a rope to a chimney-bar, in the Hall; but now it ztrikes I, there wouldn't be much danger ov my getting acquitted —and vor why?—It's clear the man were killed by one-not two. Now, if Bob's vound guilty, I must be turned out innocent; and guilty a' will be vound, or else I've blundered blessedly."

"Heavens above us, Saul! what d'ye mean?" cried Meg. Braintree now frankly told his wife the circumstances relative to Robert's shoes; and concluded, with a forced smile, sighing deeply as he spoke,—“ And zo, the young un be nicked for noman's-land, wi’out a bit of a doubt;—that be certain, I reckon.”