a dozen times its cherry ribbons; and
in less than ten minutes, with a fluttering heart and excellently bright
eyes, she passed forth under the arch and over the bridge, into the
thickening shadows of the groves. A well-marked wheel-track conducted
her. The wood, which upon both sides of the river dell was a mere
scrambling thicket of hazel, hawthorn, and holly, boasted on the level
of more considerable timber. Beeches came to a good growth, with here
and there an oak; and the track now passed under a high arcade of
branches, and now ran under the open sky in glades. As the girl
proceeded these glades became more frequent, the trees began again to
decline in size, and the wood to degenerate into furzy coverts. Last of
all there was a fringe of elders; and beyond that the track came forth
upon an open, rolling moorland, dotted with wind-bowed and scanty
bushes, and all golden brown with the winter, like a grouse. Right over
against the girl the last red embers of the sunset burned under
horizontal clouds; the night fell clear and still and frosty, and the
track in low and marshy passages began to crackle under foot with ice.

Some half a mile beyond the borders of the wood the lights of the "Green
Dragon" hove in sight, and running close beside them, very faint in the
dying dusk, the pale ribbon of the Great North Road. It was the back of
the post-house that was presented to Nance Holdaway; and as she
continued to draw near and the night to fall more completely, she became
aware of an unusual brightness and bustle. A post-chaise stood in the
yard, its lamps already lighted: light shone hospitably in the windows
and from the open door; moving lights and shadows testified to the
activity of servants bearing lanterns. The clank of pails, the stamping
of hoofs on the firm causeway, the jingle of harness, and, last of all,
the energetic hissing of a groom, began to fall upon her ear. By the
stir you would have thought the mail was at the door, but it was still
too early in the night. The down mail was not due at the "Green Dragon"
for hard upon an hour; the up mail from Scotland not before two in the
black morning.

Nance entered the yard somewhat dazzled. Sam, the tall ostler, was
polishing a curb-chain with sand; the lantern at his feet letting up
spouts of candle-light through the holes with which its conical roof was
peppered.

"Hey, miss," said he jocularly, "you won't look at me any more, now you
have gentry at the