ure, bearing traces
of its gradual transformation from the stronghold of the days when it was
no metaphor to say that every man's house was his castle, down to the more
peaceful dwelling of lawful and orderly times, It had now become little
more than a better sort of farm-house. What had been the tilt-yard was
filled with a row of comfortable barns, cart-sheds, and hay-stacks: a low
wall of rough gray stones inclosed a small garden: a narrow gravel walk,
edged on each side with currant-trees and gooseberry-bushes, led up to the
fine old porch, embowered in the ivy and creepers which covered nearly the
whole of the building with its luxuriant growth. The old gateway at the
entrance of the yard was still surmounted with the "coat armor" of the
family, carved in stone; but the gates themselves had long ago
disappeared, and been replaced by a common wooden farm-yard gate. The
"coat armor" itself was covered with moss, and a fine crop of grass and
house-leek grew among the stones of the walls, to which it would have
communicated a desolate appearance, if the farm-yard arrangements had been
less orderly.

Halsted Hall, as it was called, was six miles from the city of York, and
stood about a mile from the main road. The only approach to it was by a
long rough lane, so much cut up by the carts and cattle that it was almost
impassable to foot-passengers, except in the height of summer or depth of
winter, when the mud had been dried up by the sun or the frost.

The father and brothers attended the different fairs and markets in the
ordinary course of business; their sister, Mary Chambellan, managed the
affairs of the house and dairy. She led a very secluded life, for they had
no neighbors, and of general society there was none nearer than the city
itself. Mary, however, had plenty of occupation, and was quite contented
with her lot. She was nearly seventeen, tall, well-formed, and with an air
of composed dignity which suited well with her position, which was of
great responsibility for so young a person. Her mother, who had been dead
rather more than a year, had been a woman of superior education and strong
character. To her Mary owed all the instruction she had ever received, and
the tinge of refinement which made her manners very superior to those of
either her father or brothers. She, however, was quite unconscious of
this, and they all lived very happily together in the old out-of-the-way
place.

It happened that, in the sp