hich,
though undivulged to her, she conjectured to be, from its association
with Tyrrel, some sinister political move, of which her father was to be
the dupe.

In accordance with Lindsay's intimation, he and Tyrrel set out, at an
early hour of the following day, on their journey towards the low
country.

CHAPTER XXXVII.

A DOMESTIC SCENE AT THE DOVE COTE.

On the third morning following Lindsay's and Tyrrel's departure, the
season being now about the commencement of September, Henry was seen,
after an unusually early breakfast, to come forth upon the grass-plot,
in front of the house, bearing in his hand a short rifle,--his customary
accompaniment of the bugle being slung across his shoulders. For some
moments he was occupied in examining his weapon; then leaning it against
a tree that stood upon the lawn, he put the bugle to his mouth and
sounded a long and clear signal-note. The first effects of this spell
were to bring up Bell, Blanche, and Hylas, the three flap-eared hounds,
who came frisking over the grass with many antics that might be said to
resemble the bows and curtsies of the human species, and which were
accompanied by the houndish salutation of deep-mouthed howls that the
horn never fails to wake up in these animals.

Soon after these, came striding up the hill the long gaunt form of
Stephen Foster, who, mounting the stone wall on the lower side, with one
bound sprang over the thickset-hedge that begirt the terrace. He was now
arrayed in a yellow hunting shirt that reached to the middle of his
thigh, and which was decorated with an abundance of red fringe that
bound the cape, elbows, wrists, and extremity of the skirt, and a wool
hat encircled with a broad red band, in one side of which was set the
national ornament of the buck-tail. Around his waist was buckled a broad
buckskin belt; he was armed besides with a rifle a little short of six
feet in length.

Stephen Foster was one of that idle craft, who, having no particular
occupation, was from this circumstance, by a contradiction in terms,
usually called a man of all work. He belonged to that class of beings
who are only to be found in a society where the ordinary menial
employments are discharged by slaves; and was the tenant of a few acres
of land, appertaining to the domain of the Dove Cote, where he professed
to make his living by husbandry. But by far the greater proportion of
his revenues was derived from divers miscellaneous service