erved, when she brought it out, that the
tall stranger looked at it askance.

"Ah," she observed, "what fearful accounts Master Foxe gives us of the
persecutions which Protestants have suffered in all lands since the
Reformation which Luther was the means of bringing about! In Germany,
in Italy, in Spain, and France, and, oh, I tremble with horror when I
read of the sufferings of the poor Protestants in the Netherlands, under
that cruel Alva! In France also, how barbarously have the Reformed been
treated! I have reason to know something about it; and I'll tell you
some day, Mr Deane."

This was said after supper, as Jack was seated at a little distance from
the rest of the party, while the fair Elizabeth was nimbly plying her
distaff.

"Fictions or gross exaggerations!" muttered the stranger, who overheard
some of the remarks uttered by the little damsel.

At length the dame, who had observed the rising anger of her guest, came
over to Elizabeth, and whispered a few words in her ear; after which she
did not again allude to the subject of which she had been speaking.

"When do you expect your good man?" asked the tall stranger. "I fancied
that I should have met him here to-day."

"He has sent me word that he will be with us in two or three days, sir,"
answered the dame. "He has been longer absent than usual; but he has
been busy buying cattle to send over to our farm; and we expect to have
a considerable increase this year."

"Ah, yes! they thrive well on the rich grasses about here," observed the
stranger. "Well, I must wait his arrival; though how to pass away the
time till he comes I scarcely know."

"We can give you some sporting, sir," said Burdale. "We lack not a
variety--as wild-duck shooting, and fishing; and we have a new decoy
establishment not far off. You may be interested in seeing that work,
for we sometimes catch a great number of wild-fowl in it."

Jack was not sorry to hear arrangements made for the sport next day,
hoping that he might be allowed to join in it, though he thought to
himself he would rather have gone in the company of any body else than
in that of the tall stranger. That he was a person of some consequence
he felt sure, from the way in which he was treated; and when the family
prepared to retire to rest, he observed that the dame herself showed him
up-stairs to what was called the best guest-chamber in the house. A
shake-down was prepared for Jack in a corner of the hal