evious Sunday, Miss Jane,
with her usual sagacity, ascertained that he was staying at the Texford
Arms, and that Miles Gaffin, the miller had met him on his arrival. It
was supposed that he was the eldest son of that person.

"I fear there will be but little use complaining to the father,"
observed Miss Jane; "but it will be more prudent, my dear May, for you
to confine your walks to the grounds till he has left the place, unless
you accompany Mary or me. Jacob will undoubtedly let his parents know
what has occurred, and we shall, probably have the dame up here to make
enquiries. I will then tell her not to expect a visit from you till you
are no longer likely to be subjected to the same annoyance."

May agreed to the wisdom of this proposal; indeed she would have been
very unwilling to venture beyond the grounds by herself.

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.

THE SMUGGLER'S VAULT.

The appearance of young Gaffin at Hurlston must be accounted for.

The old mill on the cliff, which belonged to Sir Reginald Castleton, was
in a somewhat decayed condition, and had long been unoccupied, when a
short time before the period at which our story commences, a stranger,
calling himself Miles Gaffin, a miller by trade, called on Mr Groocock,
and offered to take it. As he was ready to give a better rent than the
steward expected to receive, he was glad to let it.

Miles Gaffin had occupied the mill for about a year, when, leaving it in
charge of his man, he disappeared for a time and returned with a wife
and three boys, whom he placed in a neat cottage at some little distance
from the mill. His wife was a foreigner, of dark complexion, who spoke
no English, a care-worn, spirit-broken woman, it was said.

She had little or no intercourse with her neighbours, who were unable to
find out anything about her; indeed, either by her husband's order or
her own wish, she never admitted any of them within her doors.

Some time after Miles Gaffin had been established at the mill, a lugger
appeared off the coast, on board which he was seen to go. He had
previously declared to Mr Groocock, notwithstanding his sunburnt
countenance and undoubted sailor-like look, that he knew nothing of
nautical affairs.

Mr Groocock began to suspect that he had been deceived in the matter on
finding that Gaffin had sailed away in the lugger, and did not return
for many weeks.

He confessed with a laugh when he next met the steward that he was
really fond