is part, he assured Evan, should take to his heels, and
relinquish waggon, and horses, and all; while George probably would
stand and gape; and the end of it would be, they would all be had up
for murder. He diverged from the alarming prospect, by a renewal of the
foregoing alternative to the gentleman who had constituted himself the
young woman's protector. If he parted company with them, they would
immediately part company with the young woman, whose condition was
evident.

'Why, couldn't you tall that?' said the waggoner, as Evan, tingling at
the ears, remained silent.

'I know nothing of such things,' he answered, hastily, like one hurt.

I have to repeat the statement, that he was a youth, and a modest one.
He felt unaccountably, unreasonably, but horridly, ashamed. The thought
of his actual position swamped the sickening disgust at tailordom.
Worse, then, might happen to us in this extraordinary world! There was
something more abhorrent than sitting with one's legs crossed, publicly
stitching, and scoffed at! He called vehemently to the waggoner to whip
the horses, and hurry ahead into Fallowfield; but that worthy, whatever
might be his dire alarms, had a regular pace, that was conscious of
no spur: the reply of 'All right!' satisfied him at least; and Evan's
chaste sighs for the appearance of an assistant petticoat round a turn
of the road, were offered up duly, to the measure of the waggoner's
steps.

Suddenly the waggoner came to a halt, and said 'Blest if that Gearge
bain't a snorin' on his pins!'

Evan lingered by him with some curiosity, while the waggoner thumped his
thigh to, 'Yes he be! no he bain't!' several times, in eager hesitation.

'It's a fellow calling from the downs,' said Evan.

'Ay, so!' responded the waggoner. 'Dang'd if I didn't think 'twere that
Gearge of our'n. Hark awhile.'

At a repetition of the call, the waggoner stopped his team. After a few
minutes, a man appeared panting on the bank above them, down which he
ran precipitately, knocked against Evan, apologized with the little
breath that remained to him, and then held his hand as to entreat a
hearing. Evan thought him half-mad; the waggoner was about to imagine
him the victim of a midnight assault. He undeceived them by requesting,
in rather flowery terms, conveyance on the road and rest for his limbs.
It being explained to him that the waggon was already occupied, he
comforted himself aloud with the reflection that it was so