d
that he would be glad to avail himself of his services; took his hat;
and, bowing to the family with as much composure and as obliging an air
as his embarrassing feelings would allow, moved towards the door. On
this there was a general murmur amongst the women; and a sudden stir as
if from some wish to detain him. Their looks meantime expressed
compassion: and Bertram discovered no signs of any hostile intention:
yet, as he was unable to imagine any reason advantageous to himself
which they could have for detaining him, he persisted in departing.

The day was beautiful; but the roads were heavy and toilsome to the
foot-passenger; for the snow lay deep; and frost had succeeded just
sufficient to glaze the surface into a crispness which retarded without
absolutely resisting the pressure of the foot. Their progress was
therefore slow: but they had floundered on between two and three miles:
and as yet Bertram had found no cause for openly expressing his
dissatisfaction with his guide. The manners and deportment of the man
were indeed unpleasant: his head he carried in a drooping posture;
never looked directly in Bertram's face; and now and then eyed him
askance. Occasionally he fell behind a little; and once, upon turning
suddenly round, Bertram detected him in the act of applying a measure
to his footsteps. These were alarming circumstances in his behaviour:
but otherwise he was civil and communicative in his replies; and showed
a good deal of intelligence in his account of the different objects on
the road about which Bertram inquired. All at once however he was
missing; and, looking round, Bertram perceived him, at the top of a
slight eminence a little to the left of the road, waving his
handkerchief and whistling a loud summons to some person or party in
the neighbourhood.

"Ah rascal!" cried Bertram: but before he could complete the sentence,
his attention was drawn off to a party of horsemen who now wheeled into
sight and rapidly extended their line--man[oe]uvring their horses with
the evident purpose of intercepting him, if he should attempt to
escape. This however, if it had been feasible, was no part of his
intention: judging from their appearance that they were police
officers, he advanced to meet them with a firm step--calling out at the
same time--

"Take notice, I surrender myself voluntarily: the magistrates, I have
no doubt, will consider my explanations satisfactory: and all I have to
regret is---that