passed by, or that if he were Festus he had not
seen her, she crept softly upstairs and peeped out of the window.
Excepting the spot of shade, formed by the gig as before, the down was
quite bare. She then opened the casement and stretched out her neck.

'Ha, young madam! There you are! I knew 'ee! Now you are caught!' came
like a clap of thunder from a point three or four feet beneath her, and
turning down her frightened eyes she beheld Festus Derriman lurking close
to the wall. His attention had first been attracted by her shutting the
door of the cottage; then by the overturned gig; and after making sure,
by examining the vehicle, that he was not mistaken in her identity, he
had dismounted, led his horse round to the side, and crept up to entrap
her.

Anne started back into the room, and remained still as a stone. Festus
went on--'Come, you must trust to me. The French have landed. I have
been trying to meet with you every hour since that confounded trick you
played me. You threw me into the water. Faith, it was well for you I
didn't catch ye then! I should have taken a revenge in a better way than
I shall now. I mean to have that kiss of ye. Come, Miss Nancy; do you
hear?--'Tis no use for you to lurk inside there. You'll have to turn out
as soon as Boney comes over the hill--Are you going to open the door, I
say, and speak to me in a civil way? What do you think I am, then, that
you should barricade yourself against me as if I was a wild beast or
Frenchman? Open the door, or put out your head, or do something; or 'pon
my soul I'll break in the door!'

It occurred to Anne at this point of the tirade that the best policy
would be to temporize till somebody should return, and she put out her
head and face, now grown somewhat pale.

'That's better,' said Festus. 'Now I can talk to you. Come, my dear,
will you open the door? Why should you be afraid of me?'

'I am not altogether afraid of you; I am safe from the French here,' said
Anne, not very truthfully, and anxiously casting her eyes over the vacant
down.

'Then let me tell you that the alarm is false, and that no landing has
been attempted. Now will you open the door and let me in? I am tired. I
have been on horseback ever since daylight, and have come to bring you
the good tidings.'

Anne looked as if she doubted the news.

'Come,' said Festus.

'No, I cannot let you in,' she murmured, after a pause.

'Dash my wig, then,' he cried,