his situation. But the forward movement that the youth made for this purpose was instantly checked by the pedler.

"Hold up!" he cried`, dexterously reigning his own horse across the path of the other; "would you ruin us both'? Fall into the place of a black following his master'. Did you not see their blooded chargers', all saddled and bridled', standing in the sun before the housé? How long do you think that miserable Dutch horse you are on would hold his speed', if pursued by the Virginians'? Every foot that we can gain without giving the alarm', counts us a day in our lives. Ride steadily after mè, and on no account look back. They are as subtle as foxes', ay', and as ravenous for blood as wolves'."

Henry reluctantly restrained his impatience, and followed the direction of the pedler. His imagination, however, continually alarmed him with the fancied sounds of pursuit'; though Birch', who occasionally looked back, under the pretence of addressing his companion', assured him that all continued quiet and peaceful.

"But," said Henry', " it will not be possible for Cesar to remain long undiscovered; had we not better put our horses to the gallop'? and, by the time they can reflect on the cause of our flight, we can reach the corner of the woods'."

"Ah! you little know them, captain Wharton'," returned the pedler'; "there is a sergeant at this moment looking after us', as if he thought all was not right; the keen-eyed fellow watches me like a tiger lying in wait for his leap'; when I stood on the horse-block', he half suspected something was wrong'; nay', check your beast'; we must let the animal walk a little, for he is laying his hand on the pommel of his saddle; if he mounts now, we are gone. The foot soldiers could reach us with their muskets."

"What does he dó ?" asked Henry', reining his horse to a walk', but, at the same timé, pressing his heels into the animal's sides', to be in readiness for a spring.

'He turns from his charger, and looks the other way. Now' trot on gently'; not so fast', not so fast'; observe the sentinel in the field a little ahead of us; he eyes us keenly'."

"Never mind the footman," said Henry, impatiently'; "he can do nothing but shoot us; whereas these dragoons may make me a captive again. Surely', Harvey', there are horsemen moving down the road behind us. Do you see nothing particular'?"

"Humph'!" ejaculated the pedler; "there is something particular', indeed', to be seen behind the thicket on your left'; turn your head a littlé, and you may see^ and pròfit' by it too."

Henry eagerly seized his permission to look asidé, and his blood curdled to the heart as he observed they were passing a gallows', that had unquestionably been erected for his own execution. He turned his face from the sight in undisguised horror.

"There is a warning to be prûdent, in that' bit of wood'," said the pedler', in that sententious manner that he often adopted.

"It is a terrific sight, indeed'!" cried Henry', for a moment veiling his face with his hands', as if to drive a vision from before him.

But

The pedler moved his body partly around', and spoke with energetic' but gloomy bitterness" and yet', captain Wharton', you see it when the setting sun shines full upon yoù; the air you breathe is clear, and fresh from the hills before you. Every step that you take leaves that hated gallows behind'; and every dark hollow, and every shapeless rock in the mountains', offers you a hiding place from the vengeance of your enemies. I have seen the gibbet raised, when no place of refuge offered. Twice have I been buried in torturé, looking forward to the morning's dawn that was to light me to a death of infamy. The sweat has started from limbs that seemed already drained of their moisturè, and if I ventured to the hole that admitted air' through grates of iron, to look out upon the smiles of nature, which God has bestowed for the meanest of his creatures', the gibbet has glared before my eyes, like an evil consciencé, harrowing the soul of a dying man. in their power, besides this last'; but-twicè-twicè, did I think that my hour had come. It is hard to die at the best', captain Wharton'; but to spend your last moments alone and unpitied', to know that none near you so much as think of the fate that is to you the closing of all that is earthly'; to think that in a few hours you are to be led from the gloom^—which', as you dwell on what follows', becomes dear to you—to the face of day, and there to meet all eyes upon you, as if you were a wild beast^; and to lose sight of every thing amidst the jeers and scoffs of your fellow creatures';-that', captain Wharton', that indeed' is to die."

Four times have I been

Henry listened in amazement, as his companion uttered this speech with a vehemence altogether new to him'; both seemed to have forgotten their danger', and their disguises', as he cried'

"What'! were you ever so near death as that^?"

"Have I not been the hunted beast of these hills for three years past'?" resumed Harvey`; "and once they even led me

to the foot of the gallows itself, and I escaped only by an alarm from the royal troops. Had they been a quarter of an hour later', I must have died. There was I placed', in the midst of unfeeling men', and gaping women and children', as a monster to be cursed. When I would pray to God', my ears were insulted with the history of my crimes'; and when, in all that multitudé, I looked around for a single face that showed me any pity', I could find nonè,―nò, not even onè―all cursed me as a wretch who would sell his country for gold. The sun was brighter to my eyes than common-but then it was the last timè I should see it. The fields were gay and pleasant', and every thing seemed as if this world was a kind of heaven. Oh! how sweet life was to me at that moment'! 'Twas a dreadful hour, captain Wharton', and such as yoù have never known. Yoù have friends to feel for you; but I had nonè but a father to mourn my loss when he might hear of it'; there was no pity', no consolation near to soothe my anguish. Every thing seemed to have deserted me,-I even thought that he had forgotten that I lived."

"What! did you feel that God had forsaken yoú, Harvey'?" cried the youth', with strong sympathy.

"God never forsakes his servants'," returned Birch, with reverencé, and exhibiting naturally` a devotion that hitherto he had only assumed.

"And whom did you mean by He?"

The pedler raised himself in the saddle to the stiff and upright posture that was suited to the outward appearance. The look of firé, that, for a short time, glowed upon his countenancé, disappeared in the solemn lines of unbending self-abasement, and, speaking as if addressing a negró, he replied—

"In heaven there is no distinction of color', my brother'; therefore you have a precious charge within you, that you must hereafter render an account of`;"-dropping his voicé, “this is the last sentinel near the road; look not back' as you value

your life."

Henry remembered his situation', and instantly assumed the humble demeanor of his adopted character. The unaccountable energy of the pedler's manner was soon forgotten in the sense of his own immediate danger'; and with the recollection of his critical situation' returned all the uneasiness that he had momentarily forgotten.

"What see you, Harvey' ?" he cried', observing the pedler to gaze towards the building they had left', with ominous interest'; "what see you at the housé?”

"That which bodes no good to ús'," returned the pretended priest. "Throw aside the mask and wig—you will need all your senses without much delay'-throw them in the road': there are none before us that I dread', but there are those behind us', who will give us a fearful race."

Nay', then'," cried the captain', casting the implements of his disguise into the highway', "let us improve our time to the utmost; we want a full quarter to the turn'; why not push for it at oncé ?"

"Be cool-they are in alarm', but they will not mount without an officer', unless they see us fly-now' he comes'-he moves to the stables'-trot briskly-a dozen are in their saddles`; but the officer stops to tighten his girths'—they hope to steal a march upon us he is mounted-now ridè, captain Wharton', for your life, and keep at my heels. If you quit mé you will be lost."

A second request was unnecessary. The instant that Harvey put his horse to his speed', captain Wharton was at his heels', urging the miserable animal that he rode to the utmost. Birch had selected the beast on which he rodè, and', although vastly inferior to the high-fed and blooded chargers of the dragoons', still it was much superior to the little pony that had been thought good enough to carry Cesar Thompson on an errand. A very few jumps convinced the captain that his companion was fast leaving him', and a fearful glance that he threw behind' informed the fugitive that his enemies were as speedily approaching. With that abandonment that makes misery doubly grievous', when it is to be supported aloné, Henry called aloud to the pedler not to desert him. Harvey instantly drew up', and suffered his companion to run alongside of his own horse. The cocked hat and wig of the pedler fell from his head the moment that his steed began to move briskly, and this development of their disguisé, as it might be termed', was witnessed by the dragoons', who announced their observation by a boister ous shout', that seemed to be uttered in the very ears of the fugitives--so loud was the cry', and so short the distance between them.

"Had we not better leave our horses'," said Henry', "and make for the hills across the fields on our left' ?-the fence will stop our pursuers."

"That way lies the gallows'," returned the pedler" these fellows go three feet to our two, and would mind them fences no more than we do these ruts`; but it is a short quarter to the turn', and there are two roads behind the wood. They may

stand to choose until they can take the track', and we sha] gain upon them a little there."

"But this miserable horse is blown already'," cried Henry', urging his beast with the end of his bridlè, at the same time that Harvey aided his efforts by applying the lash of a heavy riding whip that he carried';- "he will never stand it for half a mile further."

66

"A quarter will dò a quarter will dò," said the pedler`; a single quarter will save us', if you follow my directions."

Somewhat cheered by the cool and confident manner of his companion', Henry continued silently urging his horse forward. A few moments brought them to the desired turn', and', as they doubled round a point of low underbrush', the fugitives caught a glimpse of their pursuers scattered along the highway'. Mason and the sergeant being better mounted than the rest of the party', were much nearer to their heels than even the pedler thought could be possible.

At the foot of the hills, and for some distance up the dark valley that wound among the mountains', a thick underwood of saplings had been suffered to shoot up', when the heavier growth was felled for the sake of fuel. At the sight of this cover, Henry again urged the pedler to dismount, and to plunge into the woods'; but his request was promptly refused. The two roads before mentioned met at a very sharp angle, at a short distance from the turn', and both were circuitous', so that but little of either could be seen at a time. The pedler

took the one which led to the left, but held it only a moment', for', on reaching a partial opening in the thicket', he darted across the right hand path, and led the way up the steep ascent', which lay directly before them. This manœuvre saved them. On reaching the fork', the dragoons followed the track, and passed the spot where the fugitives had crossed to the other road', before they missed the marks of the footsteps. Their loud cries were heard by Henry and the pedler, as their wearied and breathless animals toiled up the hill', ordering their comrades in the rear to ride in the right direction. captain again proposed to leave their horses', and dash into the thicket.

The

"Not yet',—not yet'," said Birch in a low voice; "the road falls from the top of this hill' as steep as it rises'-first let us gain the top." While speaking they reached the desired summit', and both threw themselves from their horses. Henry plunged into the thick underwood, which covered the side of the mountain for some distance above them. Harvey stopped to give each of their beasts a few severe blows of his whip'