probable, and whofe fpirits had been ftrangely hurried by the people fhe had feen, with difficulty composed her mind to follow the occupations of the day.

CHAP. IV.

Great enemy to this, and all the reft
That in the garden of Adonis fprings,

Is wicked Time, who with his fcythe addreft
Doth mow the flowering herbs and goodly things,
And all their glory to the ground down flings.

IN the courfe of the day Wansford

related to Althea the converfation thefe men had held with him.

"They began," faid he, "by asking me whether I knew this perfon and that perfon in the neighbourhood, and who lived in the house? and who came to the houfe? and fuch a number of queflions, that I could not tell, not I, what they would be at! Thinks I, you can't have any good reafon, my mafters, for all this inquifitivenefs?

inquifitiveness? You look very like catchpoles; I don't half like you, fo you'll not get much out of me! From one thing to another, they began to tell me that they were employed by fome very worthy gentleman to difcover a person who had done him a very great injury, and was, they had reafon to believe, concealed fomewhere in this neighbourhood. The old fellow then faid, that, if they could find, and fecure this man, but what his name was they did not choose to tell, they were to have a very confiderable reward; and hinting that if I would help them, I fhould have a fhare, they defired I would let them fearch the house. For my part, I hate all attornies, having fuffered enough once by one of them; and as to your bailiffs, and bailiffs' followers, I'd fain have fuch rafcals dragged through the horfepond. So I told them that, whoever. the perfon was that they wanted, I was very fure he could not be at Eaftwood

leigh; but that, if he was, I'd fee the whole tribe of spies and fheriffs' officers at the devil, before I'd help one of them to take any poor fellow to prifon. Upon that, the old fwivel-eyed chap began in his profing way to perfuade me, and, when he found that would not do, to threaten me. Then you, Ma'am, came in, and the impudent fellow thought, I fuppofe, he could frighten you into ordering me to do it. I never faw such a ruffian. I believe, for my part, that it is Jack-Ketch himself: but Hedbury fays his name is Vampyre; that he is an attorney, and has been the ruin of a great many families, for that he is the greatest rascal in all the country! If I catch him or the other blackguard about the houfe again, I'll fhow them the way through the lower pond—that they may be fure of."

Althea now very ferioufly enquired of Wansford, whether there were any grounds for believing that the unfortu

nate

nate man, of whom thefe fatellites of the law were in fearch, was concealed about the houfe? Wansford, with every appearance of fincerity, declared that there could be no fuch circumftance, he believed it impoffible, and could not imagine what had given rife to fuch a no

tion.

Althea then mentioned to him the tracks of feet that had been seen in the fnow.

"Yes," replied he, "my wife frightened herself strangely about it; but, after all, what was it owing to? These very men, depend upon it. Indeed, they as good as owned to me, that they had been about the house once or twice. I promise them, if they venture again, I fhall fhew them that there is more in the house than they bargain for. I'd no more mind fhooting fuch pefts to the world than a couple of mad dogs."

Althea thought that the bravery of Wansford was a little mifplaced, and