"Build May-poles, and dance around them,” said Bridgenorth, with another of those grim smiles, which passed over his features like the light of a sexton's torch, as it glares and is reflected by the window of the church, when he comes from locking a funeral vault. "No, Julian, these are not times in which, by the dreaming drudgery of a country magistrate, and the petty cares of a country proprietor, a man can serve his unhappy country. There are mighty designs afloat, and men are called to make their choice betwixt God and Baal. The ancient superstition-the abomination of our fathers-is raising its head, and flinging abroad its snares, under the protection of the princes of the earth; but she raises not her head unmarked or unwatched; the true English hearts are as thousands, which wait but a signal to arise as one man, and shew the kings of the earth that they have combined in vain! We will cast their cords from us-the cup of their abominations we will not taste."

"You speak in darkness, Master Bridge

north," said Peveril," Knowing so much of me, you may, perhaps, also be aware, that I at least have seen too much of the delusions of Rome, to desire that they should be propagated at home."

"Else, wherefore do I speak to thee friendly and so free?" said Bridgenorth. "Do I not know, with what readiness of early wit you baffled the wily attempts of the woman's priest, to se duce thee from the Protestant faith? Do I not know, how thou wast beset when abroad, and that thou didst both hold thine own faith, and secure the wavering belief of thy friend? Said I not, this was done like the son of Margaret Peveril ? Said I not, he holdeth, as yet, but the dead letter-but the seed which is sown shall one day sprout and quicken ?—Enough, however, of this. For to-day this is thy habitation. I will see in thee neither the servant of that daughter of Ethbaal, nor the son of him who pursued my life, and blemished my honours; but thou shalt be to me, for this day, as the child of her without whom my house had been extinct."

So saying, he stretched out his thin, bony

hand, and grasped that of Julian Peveril; but there was such a look of mourning in his welcome, that whatever delight the youth anticipated, spending so long a time in the neighbourhood of Alice Bridgenorth, perhaps in her society, or however strongly he felt the prudence of conciliating her father's good will, he could not help feeling as if his heart was chilled in his company.

1

CHAPTER II.

This day at least is friendship's on the morrow

Let strife come an she will.

OTWAY.

DEBORAH DEBBITCH, summoned by her master, now made her appearance, with her handkerchief at her eyes, and an appearance of great mental trouble. "It was not my fault, Major Bridgenorth," she said; "how could I help it? like will to like-the boy would come-the girl would see him.”

"Peace, foolish woman," said Bridgenorth, “and hear what I have got to say.”

"I know what your honour has to say well enough," said Deborah. "Service, I wot, is no inheritance now-a-days-some are wiser than other some-if I had not been wheedled away

from Martindale, I might have had a house of mine own by this time."

"Peace, idiot!" said Bridgenorth; but so intent was Deborah on her vindication, that he could but thrust the interjection, as it were edgeways, between her exclamations, which followed as thick as is usual in cases, where folks endeavour to avert deserved censure by a clamorous justification ere the charge be brought.

"No wonder she was cheated," she said, "out of sight of her own interest, when it was to wait on pretty Miss Alice. All your honour's gold should never have tempted me, but that I knew she was but a dead cast-away, poor innocent, if she were taken away from my lady or me.-And so this is the end on't!-up early, and down late--and this is all my thanks !—but your honour had better take care what you do-she has the short cough yet sometimes-and should take physic, spring and fall."

"Peace, chattering fool!" said her master, so soon as her failing breath gave him an opportunity to strike in, "thinkest thou I knew not of