waistcoat, there, over my heart? Yes," he added, as if in answer to
the old man's anxious look, "it is true; I love her, and she has
confessed that she loves me. Oh, who will protect her now?"

"God, sir," said Bentley, solemnly, but with a strange pang of almost
womanly jealousy in his faithful old heart.

"Ay, old friend, He will watch over her. He knows best. Now help me
up."

"No, sir. Beg pardon for disobeying orders, but you are to lie still.
We will carry you to the carriage. Nay, sir, you must. You are too
weak from loss of blood with two wounds on you to stand it. A few days
will bring you about all right, though, I hope, sir."

"All ready, Bentley?" said Talbot, coming into the room. "The negro
boys have rigged up a stretcher out of a shutter, and with a mattress
and blankets in the carriage, I think we can manage, driving carefully,
to take him over without any great discomfort. I have sent Dick on
ahead to ride over to Dr. Craik's and bid him come to the Hall at once;
so Mr. Seymour will be well looked after. By the way, Blodgett is
dead. I had almost forgotten him. He evidently met and fought those
fellows at the landing. We found him at the foot of the steps by the
boat-landing with two bodies. That reminds me, one of them was alive
when we came by. I told the men to bring all three of the bodies up.
Here they are now. Are any of them alive yet, Caesar?"

"No, suh, dey 'se all ob 'em daid."

"Take the two redcoats into the dining-room with the other one. Lay
Blodgett here in the hall. He must have been killed instantly. Well;
good-by, I shall be over in the morning," he exclaimed, extending his
hand.

"Good-by, sir," said the seaman, taking it in his own huge palm. "Take
care of Lieutenant Seymour."

"Oh, never fear; we will."

"And may God give the men who did this into our hands!" added Bentley,
raising his arms solemnly.

"Amen," said Talbot, with equal gravity.

Seymour was tenderly lifted into the carriage, and attended by Talbot,
who sat by his side. Followed by two servants who had orders to get
the horses, which they found tied where they had been left, the
carriage drove off to the Hall. With what different thoughts was the
mind of the young man busy! Scarcely an hour had elapsed since he
galloped over the road, a light-hearted boy, flushed with hope, filled
with confidence, delighted in his decision, anticipating a reception,
meditating words of love. In tha