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was nothing-the flow rippling over stones and offal that lay in its course. Therefore, as soon as the Jew had disappeared, I rose cautiously from my position, and groped my way through the rayless gloom against the course of the current. I still retained my weapon, and it stood me in good stead as I held it above my head, by warning me when to stoop and save my bare scalp from the impending brickwork. When once fairly out of hearing and sight-range of my persecutors, a fact of which I was aware from the angular course I followed, my spirits began to revive within me, and something like hope once more dawned upon my mind.

To my great relief, I found as I proceeded that the horrible gloom grew less dense, partly, perhaps, because my sight was becoming habituated to it, but partly also because a few rays streamed in here and there through some of the side-gullies of the drain, the ends of which were separated but by a grating from the street, but which were all too narrow to admit the passage of my body. At first, all I cared for was to hasten on and on, away and still further away from the bloodthirsty assassins. Once or twice the main channel, or what appeared to be such, had branched off into other channels as large or nearly so. This gave me some comfort, as in the case of pursuit my pursuers might elect the wrong track, and thus miss me. I had hurried onwards for some hours, and left the murderous den some miles behind before my limbs began to fail me, and I found myself compelled to stop to recruit my strength by rest. I sat down by a side-drain whence a few rays of light shone in, and resting my head upon my knees, allowed the current to flow under my legs. I could hear above my head the noise of the traffic that rolled along the streets, the rattle of wheels, and the pat, pat of innumerable feet-and the tears now for the first time started in my eyes, as I wondered whether I should ever again be restored to the busy world above. This melancholy temper of mind was, however, put to flight by the teeth of a huge rat, which had fastened on my ankle with the gripe of a vice. I had to crush the fellow with my weapon before he would let go, and the next minute had to do battle with hundreds more, which swarmed upon me from all quarters, dashing at my face and hands, and falling on my neck from the roof, which was too low to permit me to stand upright. I must have smashed fifty of them at least before the troop withdrew from me to regale themselves on their dead companions, and allowed me to pursue my way.

This assault deterred me from proceeding further in the same direction, and I resolved to retrace my steps, and try another turning which I had marked about an hour before. One hope had haunted me all along, since I had shaken off the fear of being murdered. I had seen the day before in that neighbourhood a part of the street ripped up for the repair of the main sewer. If I could find that spot, my deliverance would be effected. I could think of no other chance, and naturally clung to that with the tenacity of despair. With an eye to the rats in my progress, I regained the place I sought, and groped along as fast as I could. From the increased noise overhead, and the almost utter absence of light, owing to the length of the side-drains, I gathered that I was traversing one of the grand thoroughfares of the city. Several times I halted, and shouted at the top of my voice at the embouchure of the tributary drains; but no reply ever reached my ears, and I desisted at length in utter hopelessness of making myself heard. I knew by this time, from the hours I had been under ground, that the evening must be drawing in, and I looked for nothing less than passing the night, which, I was convinced, would be the last of my existence, in this living tomb. I knew that as soon as I succumbed to

fatigue, I should be devoured by the swarms of rats; and already I felt exhausted in every faculty of my body.

Conceive my joy, if you can, when, on a chance look backwards in the direction I had come, I perceived at no great distance, and framed in the black circle of surrounding darkness, the figure of a man carrying an old horn-lantern swung from his neck, with a basket at his back, a bag at his girdle, a cage full of live rats in one hand, and a staff in the other. He was attended by a savage-looking bull-terrier, which came scouring towards me open-mouthed, and seemed inclined to resent my trespass on his warren. Never, perhaps, did mortal man rejoice more devoutly than I did at the presence of this strange and unlooked-for apparition. The man, bare to the hips, was a mass of filth and rags: yesterday, I would not have spoken to him on any consideration to be mentioned; but now, I could have pressed him to my heart, or kissed the tattered hem of his garments. I am not sure I did not do something as foolish the moment my trembling limbs had carried me to his side.

The honest fellow did not at all reciprocate my earnestness. Holding me off at arm's-length, he held up his lantern for a good view, and deliberately surveyed me from head to foot.

'Blest if 't ain't a reg'lar swell!' he ejaculated at length. Why, what the doose makes the likes of you down in the shore? an' where's yer dog, man alive?-Come into the shore without ne'er a dog! it's a wonder the rats han't a eat ee hup!'

'I didn't come here of my own accord,' I said. Shew me the way out, and I'll pay you well.' 'Well, hang me if I knows what to make on it. Not come in o' yer hone accord! How was it then? You've a been here ever since one o'clock, anyhow.' 'No, I have not-it was after three o'clock when I got here.'

"That's onpossible. Tide was a-comin' in then, an' it ain't gone down yet.'

'Will you guide me out, and take a guinea for your trouble?' I said impatiently.

'In course I guides you out, whether I will or no cos if you follers me, you gits out when I do; but we can't go out till the tide's gone down, an' that won't be for this hour, I reckon. What I wants to know is how you got in-cos it looks queer, yer see. Here, take a swig o' this here, an' tell us all about it.'

He produced a pocket-flask as he spoke, and glad enough I was to take a pull at the fiery spirit it contained, and which almost in a moment gave me new life.

"That's the sort to keep the stench out of a feller's stomick, ain't it?' he said with a grin as he followed my example. Now for it. Let's sit down here-my basket's seat enough for two-an' tell us how the doose a gemman like you comes a shorin' of it.'

Without more ado, I told my story as the reader already knows it, to the unqualified amazement and indignation of the hearer.

I shall not repeat his comments on the narrative. The bloody-minded villins!' he concluded; 'won't you hang 'em ?'

"That I certainly will, if I can lay hold of them,' was my reply.

'An' I'll go an' see 'em swing-blest if I don't.' 'And you,' said I-'how came you here? You seem to be quite at home in this horrible place.'

'Oh,' said he, 'the place is well enough, if that's all-only wish I had it all to myself, an' no hinterlopers. Yer see, I'm a shore-hunter for many a long year. All a feller finds down here is his own, an' nobody thinks of claimin' it agin-wouldn't git it if they did, I reckon.'

'But what can you possibly find here besides the rats-and what use are they?'

'Ah, that's your hign'rants! What can I find! Heverythink as comes down-leave me alone to find it-spoons, cheyney, money, silver thimbles. I've found a shillin' an' four sixpences to-day, only three on 'em's bad uns. I've found many a good sovring in my time, an' more bad uns. Then I snares the rats, an' them's eightpence a dozen for killin' wi' the dogs. Then there's the rags an' linen, lots o' that-an' what d'ye think o' plate? Many's the table-spoon I've had, an' tea-spoons too, an' many a silver snuff-box. I know'd a chap as found a gravy-spoon as weighed six ounces, an' a gold lady's watch worth sebn pound. Poor crow, he was too greedy, he was-he got shut in here wi' the tide one night without his dog, an' hanged if the rats didn't eat him hup all but his bones. It's the truth I'm a tellin' yer. I helped to git all that was left of him out myself, an' we had to put the bones in a basket: they was all picked clean in a single night. There! I can't abear to think on it. Poor Bill.'

This sort of revelation did not tend to reanimate my courage, and I was glad when the man rose, and whistling to his dog, proposed to go.

"The tide will be low enough to let us out,' he said, 'by the time we gits to the Thames, so we may as well be trackin' it.'

'And which way do you go?' I inquired. "The way you came,' he said; 'there is no tother way.'

'I can't, I can't attempt it,' I cried-and I really could not; my flesh crept with horror at the idea. The man lifted his lantern to my face, and marking my evident terror, began to scratch his head and mutter to himself.

'There is another way,' I said: 'they are repairing the sewer somewhere hereabout-surely you can find the place.'

"Them repairs is done, an' closed up last night. But never say die! You said a guinea, didn't yer?' he asked in a decided way.

'Yes, two. Put me above ground, and the money is yours.'

'Come along, then,' he rejoined. 'Step out arter me, an' I'll make it all right.'

He held up his lantern, and struck into a sort of ambling run. I kept close to his heels, and the dog ran yelping before. We soon came to the main drain -descended it some quarter of a mile, then entered an arch to the right, to traverse which we had to stoop to a sitting posture. After a course of more than half an hour at the best speed we could make, my guide stopped at a low outlet not more than twenty inches in diameter, and divesting himself of his various burdens, began to crawl up the orifice, telling me not to follow him, but to wait his return. In less than a minute he bawled out: 'It's all right;' and the moment after, to my indescribable satisfaction, I heard him talking with some one above ground. I waited with what patience I could, but thought the conference would never have an end. At length my deliverer came sliding back again, heels foremost. His reappearance was followed by the sound of blows and the clang of a crowbar on the grating above. My guide now held out his hand for the promised reward.

'Will you not also escape this way?' I asked. 'No,' said he; couldn't git my traps through. Besides, the old ooman'll be lookin' out for me at the river-side, an' she'll be wondrin' where the doose I'm got to. You're all right now. Just crawl up the drain, an' there you are: there's enough on 'em, I reckon, up there to fish yer out.'

Having recompensed my deliverer beyond his expectations, I followed his directions, more in a dream

than with any real consciousness of what I was doing. I was hauled out, more dead than alive, at the corner of a narrow lane, among a crowd of people assembled to witness my resurrection. I had barely sense enough to make known the address of my landlord, to whose house I was conveyed, I believe, in a cart, upon a bed of straw, after several drivers of cabs and hackney-coaches had declined the honour of my custom.

It was night before I reached home; and from that hour until full two months after, the day and the night were all alike to me, for I was raging in the delirium of fever, and declaiming horrible narratives of murder, and darkness, and skeleton victims, and rats, and gravy-spoons. My poor old mother had to come up from Suffolk to take possession of me. But at last I got well again, in spite of the doctor who dosed me six times a day, and of the nurse, who crammed my mother with the notion that, because in my delirium I talked of rats, I was doomed to death.

The first thing I did when I recovered was to hunt up the ruffians who had thought to murder me. I got officers from Bow Street, and invaded Field Lane with the authority of the law. It was all to no purpose. Not only could I not find the villains themselves, but I could not identify even the scene of their atrocity. A perfect stranger to the place, I could only guess at its precise locality-of course could not swear to it. There was no such inner apartment as I described to be found-no trap-door to be discovered in any of the floors; in fact, the whole scene which my terror had indelibly imprinted on my memory, had all vanished together, and the search had to be given up.

The explanation of this seeming mystery must be referred to the time I had lain on a sick-bed, during which the report of my escape may have reached my intending murderers-and it is likely enough that my deliverer may have talked of his adventure, and so put the assassins on their guard. Thus they had time, and to spare, to effect the metamorphosis of their premises, which deceived the officers of justice, and thus facilitated their escape from the gallows they so richly deserved.

Since then, the doubt has often crossed my mind whether the police of Bow Street really believed the strange story I told them. Be that as it may, the reader may rely upon its accuracy so far as my memory serves me at this distance of time-and he will hardly wonder that I do not regret the final erasure of Field Lane from the list of metropolitan lions.

CONSUMMATION OF SMOKE-BURNING. INDEPENDENTLY of the desired solution of the smokeconsuming problem as regards our private dwellings, a great interest attaches itself to the progress making in the same direction by those who burn coals on a grand scale, as it will be their experience which ultimately will guide the world at large in getting rid of what may be well called a monster nuisance.

But, in a scientific point of view, and as connected with several important branches of economics-as the supply of fuel from the mines, and the greater cheapness of steam-travelling, &c.-this question of perfect combustion and avoidance of smoke must be watched with intense interest by all reflecting and educated minds; and it is with sincere pleasure that we bring before our readers the new facts which are to form the subject of this paper. We shall only premise that space admits of no more than a cursory view of the details connected with the experiments, by which, as it should seem, this grand and important object has been at last achieved with perfect success in all respects. Some time since, a premium

of L.500 was offered by a body, entitled the 'Steamcoal Collieries Association,' for the best method of applying fuel to a given multitubular boiler, so as to consume the fuel, and leave no visible smoke to escape into the atmosphere. The question of breadth of fire-grate was left an open one to each competitor; a drawing of the boiler was furnished to each; the coals to be employed on the trial were drawn from the same pit; the results of each stage of the experiments carefully recorded; the residuary portions accurately weighed, and, in short, everything done so as to insure the most perfect fairness in the trials. Judging from the Report now before us, we should conclude that the four plans selected for actual trial were considered the most likely, a priori, to meet the required conditions; and, as such, were tried at the expense of the Association. The other candidates, to the number of ninety-nine, refused to avail themselves of the opportunity which was given them of testing their plans at their own expense. We have, therefore, only to do with the four selected ones-namely, those of Messrs Hobson and Hopkinson, Huddersfield; Mr C. W. Williams of Liverpool; Mr B. Stoney, Dublin; and Mr Robson, South Shields. Of these four, the competitor who was declared by the judges to have satisfied the conditions laid down by the Association, was Mr Williams, a gentleman to whom the public are already very deeply indebted for his researches on subjects of this nature; and who is said, in fact, to have taught us all we know of any moment as to the consumption of fuel upon useful and scientific principles in steam-furnaces. We remember the name in connection with an airjet some twenty-five years ago, which it was said at the time had been found to produce a conversion of the dense smoke of the marine-boiler furnace into a volume of bright flame, and thus to have achieved a great and double advantage. That steamers at the present day continue to announce their approach, while still far in the 'offing,' by the characteristic cloud of smoke, is no proof that Mr Williams was given in that case more credit than he deserved; for, of all slow-coaches in adopting improvements, steam-companies seem to be the very slowest.

Before explaining the different plans brought to trial, and the causes of Mr Williams's success, we shall dwell a moment on some curious and important scientific facts brought under our notice by the Report.

It would seem that the question of perfect combustion is not set at rest by the absence of smoke; invisible gases may be passing away unconsumed from want of oxygen-that is, from want of air; and when air is supplied only through the face of the fire-grate, this, on the production of visible smoke, will be the result. Air, then, must be largely admitted; some think it should be heated for the purpose, but the judges very properly observe that the heating of air involves so many inconveniences, that it is in no way to be recommended unless absolutely indispensable. It considerably enhances the merit of Mr Williams's system, that it has nothing to do with heated air, or any other troublesome or expensive complications. Its simplicity, indeed, taken in connection with its perfect success, is one of its greatest merits; for it is evident, upon a moment's reflection, that an object may be attained in the laboratory of the chemist by the application of processes and manipulations of a kind which may be quite inadmissible on a grand scale. It further appears that the mere passing of gases through a body of burning fuel will not of itself destroy the smoke. On this account, it has been proposed to supply a jet of air to the gases just as they are entering the fire from below. The judges remark upon this, that the destructive effect upon the bars supporting this fire has not been sufficiently considered by projectors. The intense heat generated

by the process speedily destroys these bars; and it has been proposed to obviate this difficulty by substituting for them hollow tubes, filled with air or water. From this, it is replied, even if successful to a certain extent, might arise too many inconveniences, in regard of sea-going ships, to render its adoption desirable. The failure of one such tube-and, in spite of all that can be said, we know that, exposed to an intense heat, failure would be extremely probable-might render the whole boiler useless, and stop the voyage.

Again, the judges disapprove of the introduction of steam with air into the furnace, which has likewise been proposed; and, without going into the rather deep science of the matter, it must be obvious that this method would be highly objectionable on the ground of expense and complication.

We now come to a brief description of the competing systems, beginning with that of Mr Robson, which was the first brought to trial.

The principle of this plan is to divide the furnace into two fire-grates, the one at the back being shorter than the other, and at a lower level. This back-grate is quite a separate affair, furnished with separate doors for cleaning and the supply of fuel; this door has a valve in it for the admission of air; and there is also what is called a 'distributing tube,' perforated with holes, to allow air to get at all parts of the fire at once.

·

The plan of proceeding is, to burn coal in the frontgrate, and coke or cinders in the second. It was expected that the gases generated in the outer, and forced to pass through and over the bright clear fire in the inner, grate, would be all consumed; but in this the judges found that the object was only partially accomplished.' The idea, however, is ingenious and interesting; and very probably may contain the germs of success, after some further improvements, likely enough to be suggested in practice. It appears that air is not admitted directly to the fire in the front-grate, and consequently it can excite no surprise that the mass of fuel there burns slowly, with a loss of effective force in the boiler. This is one of the weak points which may be strengthened in time.

The next plan was that of Messrs Hobson & Co. In this, air is freely admitted in various ways, which we shall not pause to describe. There is here a complication of brick pillars and brickwork to distribute and equalise the currents of air, and effect the mixture of it with the gases. 'As to prevention of smoke, this plan was pronounced efficient, though in hard firing it requires considerable attention from the stoker.' The objection is stated to be, that the brickwork is liable to crack, and get out of order, but the judges do not attach much importance to this, as they consider its efficiency to depend, not on the brickwork, but on the equable diffusion of the gases. They further say, that this system is applicable to all forms of boilers; the combustion is very good, and with moderate firing, it does not depend upon the stoker. They are therefore of opinion that it complies with all the prescribed conditions.

We shall now describe Mr Stoney's plan, although not next in order, reserving that of Mr Williams for the last.

This is in principle, as far as the admission of air goes, identical with that of Mr Williams; and this, we may now observe, differs from the first described in allowing the air to enter through the front door. Its peculiarity consists in the adoption of a shelf outside the boiler, forming, in fact, a continuation of the dead-plate outwards.' On this shelf the fuel is placed, partly within and partly without the furnace, the door of which is a sliding one, shutting from above, so that the air passes partly through the coals, and partly through perforations made in the door for the

236

purpose. The coal is pushed forward to supply the furnace as required; but, as it is declared not to have prevented smoke, we shall not dwell longer on its details.

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The successful competitor, Mr Williams, admits air in front, at the bridges, and also by small apertures elsewhere, in order to its complete diffusion, in In the plan streams and jets, among the gases. adopted in the present instance, Mr Williams introduces the air only at the front, by means of cast-iron casings furnished on the outside with shutters, so as to vary the area at will, and perforated on the inside with a great number of small holes. The mode of firing consists in applying the fresh fuel alternately at each side of the furnace, so as to have one side bright The results obtained by while the other is black.' this method shew a large increase above the standard in every respect. "The prevention of smoke,' say the judges, was, we may say, practically perfect, whether the fuel burned was 15 pounds or 27 pounds the square foot per hour. Indeed, in one experiment the extraordinary quantity of 37 pounds of coal per square foot per hour was burned in a grate of 15 square feet, giving a rate of evaporation of 5 cubic feet of water per hour, per square foot of fire-grate, without proAll readers may not exactly underducing smoke.' stand this; but it will serve to shew, that according to some of the most competent judges in England, Mr Williams has succeeded, not only in producing the standard quantity of steam in relation to the size of the fire-grate employed, but done very much more than this-involving a much greater consumption of coal, and this without producing smoke; or, on the other hand, without leaving any portion of the valuable gases contained in the coal unconsumed.

One short quotation more: 'No particular attention is required from the stoker; in fact, in this respect, the system leaves nothing to desire, and the actual labour is even less than that of the ordinary mode of firing.' 'Mr Williams's system is applicable to all descriptions of marine-boilers, and its extreme simplicity is a great point in its favour. It fully complies with all the required conditions.'

The substance of this last quotation is, in our view of it, most important. We know quite enough of stokers and firemen to be well aware that, if the effect depended on any extraordinary care on their parts, a few only could be counted upon for such attention. It is a well-known fact that, even in the ordinary furnaces, a continuous and moderate supply of fuel will burn almost without smoke; but it was always heaped on in large quantities at a time, and so distilled, to the injury of the proprietors, and the annoyance of the neighbourhood.

The general applicability to marine purposes holds out a hope that, 'at long last,' a characteristic feature of a voyage by steam will no longer be the intrusive presence of small balls of lampblack upon the cheek and forehead of beauty, and that, on the approach of a steamer, we may look out for her hull, and not her smoke.

Again, we feel tempted to ask: 'Is there any chance that "Palmerston's act" will now be something more than a "flash in the pan," puffed into our faces by that astute and experienced political engineer?' At present, every proprietor of a volcano claims a legal fifteen minutes for smoking; and what with one difficulty, and what with another, it requires a more experienced eye than ours to distinguish the difference between 'smoky Brummagem,' Manchester, and Leeds, before or since the passing of 'the act.' Now, it will admit of no excuse; and the persecuted and suffering 'natives' will have only themselves to blame if they do not owe their deliverance to this 'excellent device' of Mr Williams.

We trust they will see this clearly-if they do,

it will be the first thing they have ever seen clearly
in their own localities-and that they will bestir
themselves accordingly.

If, after this notice, they remain indifferent, wrapped
up in 'their sulphurous canopy,' we shall quite despair
of the case; and say, as the Yorkshirewoman said
when depriving the eels of their external cuticle:
'Let 'em alone; they likes it.'

It would be unfair to Mr Williams to omit that he
a prize-namely, L.500-to the use of an association
has munificently devoted the sum awarded to him as
of a scientific kind connected with the combustion
of fuel on scientific and economical principles. This
is justly observed upon as highly honourable to his
liberality, since he must have been at great expense
in the prosecution of those researches, the result of
which promises such extensive advantages to the pub-
[We have now had smoke-prevention in our own
lic-indeed, we might have said the world—at large.
premises, with entire and unfailing success, for nine
years, by means of Jukes's patent-gradual introduc-
tion of coal by means of revolving bars.-ED.]

OCEOLA:

A ROMANCE.

CHAPTER LI.-WHO WAS THE RIDER?

I FELT faint enough to have reeled from the saddle;
but the necessity of concealing the thoughts that
were passing within me, kept me firm. There are
suspicions that even a bosom-friend may not share;
and mine were of this character, if suspicions they
nature of convictions.
could be called. Unhappily, they approached the

I saw that Gallagher was mystified; not, as I
supposed, by the tracks upon the ground, but by
my behaviour in regard to them. He had observed
my excited manner on taking up the trail, and while
following it; he could not have failed to do so;
and now, on reaching the glade, he looked upon a
unintelligible.
pallid face, and lips quivering with emotions to him

'What is it, Geordie, my boy? Do you think the ridskin has been after some dhirty game? Playing the spy on your plantation, eh?'

The question aided me in my dilemma. It sug'Likely enough,' I answered, without displaying gested a reply which I did not believe to be the truth. any embarrassment; 'an Indian spy, I have no doubt of it; and evidently in communication with some of the negroes, since this is the track of a pony that thus far to meet him; though for what purpose, it is belongs to the plantation. Some of them have ridden difficult to guess.'

'Massr George,' spoke out my black follower, 'dar's 'Jake!' I shouted, sharply interrupting him, no one ebber ride da White Fox, 'ceptin''gallop forward to the house, and tell them we are coming. Quick, my man!'

My command was too positive to be obeyed with hesitation; and, without finishing his speech, the It was a manoeuvre of mere precaution. But the black put spurs to his cob, and rode rapidly past us. I knew what the moment before, I had no thought of despatching an avant courier to announce us. simple fellow was about to say: 'No one ebber ride da White Fox, 'ceptin' Missa Vaginny;' and I had adopted this ruse to stifle his speech.

I glanced towards my companion, after Jake had passed out of sight. He was a man of open heart and free tongue, with not one particle of the secretive principle in his nature. His fine florid face was seldom marked by a line of suspicion; but I observed that it now wore a puzzled expression, and I felt uneasy. No remark, however, was made by either

of us; and turning into the path which Jake had taken, we rode forward.

The path was a cattle-track-too narrow to admit of our riding abreast; and Gallagher permitting me to act as pilot, drew his horse into the rear. In this way we moved silently onward.

I had no need to direct my horse. It was an old road to him: he knew where he was going. I took no heed of him, but left him to stride forward at his will. I scarcely looked at the path-once or twice only— and then I saw the tracks of the pony-backward and forward; but I heeded them no more; I knew whence and whither they led.

I was too much occupied with thoughts within, to notice aught without or around me.

Could it have been any other than Virginia? Who else? It was true what Jake had intended to saythat no one except my sister ever rode White Fox' -no one upon the plantation being permitted to mount this favourite miniature of a steed.

Yes-there was an exception. I had seen Viola upon him. Perhaps Jake would have added this exception, had I allowed him to finish his speech. Might it have been Viola?

But what could be her purpose in meeting the Seminole chief?-for that the person who rode the pony had held an interview with the latter, there could not be the shadow of a doubt; the tracks told that clearly enough.

A locust-tree grew by the side of the path, with its branches extending partially across. A strip of ribbon had caught on one of the spines, and was waving in the breeze. It was silk, and of fine texture-a bit of the trimming of a lady's dress torn off by the thorn. To me it was a sad token. My fabric of hopeful fancies fell into ruin at the sight. No negro-not even Viola-could have left such evidence as that; and I shuddered as I spurred past the fluttering relic. I was in hopes my companion would not observe it; but he did. It was too conspicuous to be passed without notice. As I glanced back over my shoulder, I saw him reach out his arm, snatch the fragment from the branch, and gaze upon it with a puzzled and inquiring look.

Fearing he might ride up and question me, I spurred my horse into a rapid gallop, at the same time calling to him to follow.

Ten minutes after, we entered the lawn and pulled up in front of the house. My mother and sister had come out into the verandah to receive us; and we were greeted with words of welcome.

But I heard, or heeded them not; my gaze was riveted on Virginia-upon her dress. It was a ridinghabit: the plumed chapeau was still upon her head!

My beautiful sister-never seemed she more beautiful than at that moment; her cheeks were crimsoned with the wind, her golden tresses hanging over them. But it joyed me not to see her so fair: in my eyes, she appeared a fallen angel.

great mental suffering, apparently as acute as my own. My friend he was-tried and true; he had observed my anguish-he now guessed the cause; and his look betokened the deep sympathy with which my misfortune inspired him.

What motive could have moved the quadroon to such a meeting? Surely none. Not surely, either; I glanced at Gallagher as I tottered out of my how could I say so? I had been long absent; many saddle: I saw that he comprehended all. Nay, more strange events had transpired in my absence-many-his countenance wore an expression indicative of changes. How could I tell but that Viola had grown 'tired' of her sable sweetheart, and looked kindly upon the dashing chieftain? No doubt, there had been many opportunities for her seeing the latter; for, after my departure for the north, several years had elapsed before the expulsion of the Powells from their plantation. And now, that I thought of it, I remembered something-a trifling circumstance that had occurred on that very day when young Powell first appeared among us: Viola had expressed admiration of the handsome youth. I remembered that this had made Black Jake very angry; that my sister, too, had been angry, and scolded Viola-as I thought at the time for mortifying her faithful lover. Viola was a beauty, and like most beauties, a coquette. My conjecture might be right. It was pleasant to think so-but, alas, poor Jake!

Another slight circumstance tended to confirm this view. I had observed of late a change in my henchman; he was certainly not so cheerful as of yore; he appeared more reflective-serious—dull.

God grant that this might be the explanation! There was another conjecture that offered me a hope; one that, if true, would have satisfied me still better for I had a strong feeling of friendship for Black Jake.

The other hypothesis was simply what Gallagher had already suggested-although White Fox was not allowed to be ridden, some of the people might have stolen him for a ride. It was possible, and not without probability. There might be disaffected slaves on our plantation-there were on almost every other who were in communication with the hostile Indians. The place was more than a mile from the house. Riding would be pleasanter than walking; and taking the pony from its pastures might be easily accomplished, without fear of observation. A great black negro may have been the rider after all. God grant that this might be the true explanation!

The mental prayer had scarcely passed my thoughts, when an object came under my eyes, that swept my theories to the wind, sending a fresh pang through my heart.

CHAPTER LII.

COLD COURTESY.

I received my mother's embrace with filial warmth; my sister's in silence-almost with coldness. My mother noticed this, and wondered. Gallagher also shewed reserve in his greeting of Virginia; and neither did this pass unobserved.

Of the four, my sister was the least embarrassed; she was not embarrassed at all. On the contrary, her lips moved freely, and her eyes sparkled with a cheerful expression, as if really joyed by our arrival.

'You have been on horseback, sister?' I said, in a tone that affected indifference as to the reply.

'Say, rather, pony-back. My little Foxey scarcely deserves the proud title of horse. Yes, I have been out for an airing.' 'Alone?'

'Quite alone-solus bolus, as the black people have it.'

'Is it prudent, sister?'

'Why not? I often do it. What have I to fear? The wolves and panthers are hunted out, and White Fox is too swift either for a bear or an alligator.'

'There are creatures to be encountered in the woods more dangerous than wild beasts.'

I watched her countenance as I made the remark, but I saw not the slightest change.

'What creatures, George?' she asked in a drawling tone, imitating that in which I had spoken.

'Redskins-Indians,' I answered abruptly. 'Nonsense, brother; there are no Indians in this neighbourhood-at least,' added she with marked hesitation, none that we need fear. Did I not write to tell you so? You are fresh from the hostile ground, where I suppose there is an Indian in every bush; but remember, Geordy, you have travelled a

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