st to set the example. However,
I have stationed two of the men near our house, and the rest at equal
distances along the village."

"Do you really think they will go home, Sir?" said Ellinor, in a little
alarm; "why they would be worse than I thought them, if they were driven
to bed by the rain. I knew they could not stand a pistol, but a shower,
however hard, I did imagine would scarcely quench their valour."

"Never mind, girl," said Lester, gaily chucking her under the chin, "we
are quite strong enough now to resist them. You see Madeline has grown
as brave as a lioness--Come, girls, come, let's have supper, and stir up
the fire. And, Nell, where are my slippers?"

And thus on the little family scene, the cheerful wood fire flickering
against the polished wainscot; the supper table arranged, the Squire
drawing his oak chair towards it, Ellinor mixing his negus; and Aram
and Madeline, though three times summoned to the table, and having three
times answered to the summons, still lingering apart by the hearth--let
us drop the curtain.

We have only, ere we close our chapter, to observe, that when Lester
conducted Aram to his chamber he placed in his hands an order payable
at the county town, for three hundred pounds. "The rest," he said in a
whisper, "is below, where I mentioned; and there in my secret drawer it
had better rest till the morning."

The good Squire then, putting his finger to his lip, hurried away, to
avoid the thanks, which, indeed, however he might feel them, Aram was no
dexterous adept in expressing.

CHAPTER V.

THE SISTERS ALONE.--THE GOSSIP OF LOVE.--AN ALARM
--AND AN EVENT.

Juliet.--My true love is grown to such excess,
I cannot sum up half my sum of wealth.
--Romeo and Juliet.

Eros.--Oh, a man in arms;
His weapon drawn, too!
--The False One.

It was a custom with the two sisters, when they repaired to their
chamber for the night, to sit conversing, sometimes even for hours,
before they finally retired to bed. This indeed was the usual time for
their little confidences, and their mutual dilations over those hopes
and plans for the future, which always occupy the larger share of the
thoughts and conversation of the young. I do not know any thing in the
world more lovely than such conferences between two beings who have
no secrets to relate but what arise, all fresh, from the springs of a
gu