seat　on　the　pillion　behind　Cristal　Nixon；　amid　the　grins　of　his　old　acquaintance　Jan　who　helped　him　to　horse；　and　the　unrestrained　laughter　of　Cicely；　who　displayed　on　the　occasion　a　case　of　teeth　which　might　have　rivalled　ivory。
  Latimer　was　at　an　age　when　being　an　object　of　general　ridicule　even　to　clowns　and　milkmaids　was　not　a　matter　of　indifference；　and　he　longed　heartily　to　have　laid　his　horse…whip　across　Jan's　shoulders。　　That；　however；　was　a　solacement　of　his　feelings　which　was　not　at　the　moment　to　be　thought　of；　and　Cristal　Nixon　presently　put　an　end　to　his　unpleasant　situation；　by　ordering　the　riders　to　go　on。　　He　himself　kept　the　centre　of　the　troop；　two　men　riding　before　and　two　behind　him；　always；　as　it　seemed　to　Darsie；　having　their　eye　upon　him；　to　prevent　any　attempt　to　escape。　　He　could　see　from　time　to　time；　when　the　straight　line　of　the　road；　or　the　advantage　of　an　ascent　permitted　him；　that　another　troop　of　three　or　four　riders　followed　them　at　about　a　quarter　of　a　mile's　distance；　amongst　whom　he　could　discover　the　tall　form　of　Redgauntlet；　and　the　powerful　action　of　his　gallant　black　horse。　　He　had　little　doubt　that　Green　Mantle　made　one　of　the　party；　though　he　was　unable　to　distinguish　her　from　the　others。
  In　this　manner　they　travelled　from　six　in　the　morning　until　nearly　ten　of　the　clock；　without　Darsie　exchanging　a　word　with　any　one；　for　he　loathed　the　very　idea　of　entering　into　conversation　with　Cristal　Nixon；　against　whom　he　seemed　to　feel　an　instinctive　aversion；　nor　was　that　domestic's　saturnine　and　sullen　disposition　such　as　to　have　encouraged　advances；　had　he　thought　of　making　them。
  At　length　the　party　halted　for　the　purpose　of　refreshment；　but　as　they　had　hitherto　avoided　all　villages　and　inhabited　places　upon　their　route；　so　they　now　stopped　at　one　of　those　large　ruinous　Dutch　barns；　which　are　sometimes　found　in　the　fields；　at　a　distance　from　the　farm…houses　to　which　they　belong。　　Yet　in　this　desolate　place　some　preparations　had　been　made　for　their　reception。　　There　were　in　the　end　of　the　barn　racks　filled　with　provender　for　the　horses；　and　plenty　of　provisions　for　the　party　were　drawn　from　the　trusses　of　straw；　under　which　the　baskets　that　contained　them　had　been　deposited。　　The　choicest　of　these　were　selected　and　arranged　apart　by　Cristal　Nixon；　while　the　men　of　the　party　threw　themselves　upon　the　rest；　which　he　abandoned　to　their　discretion。　　In　a　few　minutes　afterwards　the　rearward　party　arrived　and　dismounted；　and　Redgauntlet　himself　entered　the　barn　with　the　green…mantled　maiden　by　his　side。　　He　presented　her　to　Darsie　with　these　words：
  'It　is　time　you　two　should　know　each　other　better。　　I　promised　you　my　confidence；　Darsie；　and　the　time　is　come　for　reposing　it。　But　first　we　will　have　our　breakfast；　and　then；　when　once　more　in　the　saddle；　I　will　tell　you　that　which　it　is　necessary　that　you　should　know。　　Salute　Lilias；　Darsie。'
  The　command　was　sudden；　and　surprised　Latimer；　whose　confusion　was　increased　by　the　perfect　ease　and　frankness　with　which　Lilias　offered　at　once　her　cheek　and　her　hand；　and　pressing　his　as　she　rather　took　it　than　gave　her　own；　said　very　frankly；　'Dearest　Darsie；　how　rejoiced　I　am　that　our　uncle　has　at　last　permitted　us　to　become　acquainted！'
  Darsie's　head　turned　round；　and　it　was　perhaps　well　that　Redgauntlet　called　on　him　to　sit　down；　as　even　that　movement　served　to　hide　his　confusion。　　There　is　an　old　song　which　says
  when　ladies　are　willing；　　　A　man　can　but　look　like　a　fool；
  And　on　the　same　principle　Darsie　Latimer's　looks　at　this　unexpected　frankness　of　reception；　would　have　formed　an　admirable　vignette　for　illustrating　the　passage。　　'Dearest　Darsie；'　and　such　a　ready；　nay；　eager　salute　of　lip　and　hand！　　It　was　all　very　gracious；　no　doubtand　ought　to　have　been　received　with　much　gratitude；　but；　constituted　as　our　friend's　temper　was；　nothing　could　be　more　inconsistent　with　his　tone　of　feeling。　　If　a　hermit　had　proposed　to　him　to　club　for　a　pot　of　beer；　the　illusion　of　his　reverend　sanctity　could　not　have　been　dispelled　more　effectually　than　the　divine　qualities　of　Green　Mantle　faded　upon　the　ill…imagined　frank…heartedness　of　poor　Lilias。　　Vexed　with　her　forwardness；　and　affronted　at　having　once　more　cheated　himself；　Darsie　could　hardly　help　muttering　two　lines　of　the　song　we　have　already　quoted：
  The　fruit　that　must　fall　without　shaking　　　Is　rather　too　mellow　for　me。
  And　yet　it　was　pity　for　her　tooshe　was　a　very　pretty　young　womanhis　fancy　had　scarcely　overrated　her　in　that　respectand　the　slight　derangement　of　the　beautiful　brown　locks　which　escaped　in　natural　ringlets　from　under　her　riding…hat；　with　the　bloom　which　exercise　had　brought　into　her　cheek；　made　her　even　more　than　usually　fascinating。　　Redgauntlet　modified　the　sternness　of　his　look　when　it　was　turned　towards　her；　and　in　addressing　her；　used　a　softer　tone　than　his　usual　deep　bass。　　Even　the　grim　features　of　Cristal　Nixon　relaxed　when　he　attended　on　her；　and　it　was　then；　if　ever；　that　his　misanthropical　visage　expressed　some　sympathy　with　the　rest　of　humanity。
  'How　can　she；'　thought　Latimer；　'look　so　like　an　angel；　yet　be　so　mere　a　mortal　after　all？　　How　could　so　much　seeming　modesty　have　so　much　forwardness　of　manner；　when　she　ought　to　have　been　most　reserved？　　How　can　her　conduct　be　reconciled　to　the　grace　and　ease　of　her　general　deportment？'
  The　confusion　of　thoughts　which　occupied　Darsie's　imagination；　gave　to　his　looks　a　disordered　appearance；　and　his　inattention　to　the　food　which　was　placed　before　him；　together　with　his　silence　and　absence　of　mind；　induced　Lilias　solicitously　to　inquire；　whether　he　did　not　feel　some　return　of　the　disorder　under　which　he　had　suffered　so　lately。　　This　led　Mr。　Redgauntlet；　who　seemed　also　lost　in　his　own　contemplations；　to　raise　his　eyes；　and　join　in　the　same　inquiry　with　some　appearance　of　interest。　　Latimer　explained　to　both　that　he　was　perfectly　well。
  'It　is　well　it　is　so；'　answered　Redgauntlet；　'for　we　have　that　before　us　which　will　brook　no　delay　from　indispositionwe　have　not；　as　Hotspur　says；　leisure　to　be　sick。'
  Lilias；　on　her　part；　endeavoured　to　prevail　upon　Darsie　to　partake　of　the　food　which　she　offered　him；　with　a　kindly　and　affectionate　courtesy　corresponding　to　the　warmth　of　the　interest　she　had　displayed　at　their　meeting；　but　so　very　natural；　innocent；　and　pure　in　its　character；　that　it　would　have　been　impossible　for　the　vainest　coxcomb　to　have　mistaken　it　for　coquetry；　or　a　desire　of　captivating　a　prize　so　valuable　as　his　affection。　　Darsie；　with　no　more　than　the　reasonable　share　of　self…opinion　common　to　most　youths　when　they　approach　twenty…one；　knew　not　how　to　explain　her　conduct。
  Sometimes　he　was　tempted　to　think　that　his　own　merits　had；　even　during　the　short　intervals　when　they　had　seen　each　other；　secured　such　a　hold　of　the　affections　of　a　young　person　who　had　probably　been　bred　up　in　ignorance　of　the　world　and　its　forms　that　she　was　unable　to　conceal　her　partiality。　　Sometimes　he　suspected　that　she　acted　by　her　guardian's　order；　who；　aware　that　he；　Darsie；　was　entitled　to　a　considerable　fortune；　might　have　taken　this　bold　stroke　to　bring　about　a　marriage　betwixt　him　and　so　near　a　relative。
  But　neither　of　these　suppositions　was　applicable　to　the　character　of　the　parties。　　Miss　Lilias's　manners；　however　soft　and　natural；　displayed　in　their　ease　and　versatility　considerable　acquaintance　with　the　habits　of　the　world；　and　in　the　few　words　she　said　during　the　morning　repast；　there　were　mingled　a　shrewdness　and　good　sense；　which　could　scarce　belong　to　a　miss　capable　of　playing　the　silly　part　of　a　love…smitten　maiden　so　broadly。　　As　for　Redgauntlet；　with　his　stately　bearing；　his　fatal　frown；　his　eye　of　threat　and　of　command；　it　was　impossible；　Darsie　thought；　to　suspect　him　of　a　scheme　having　private　advantage　for　its　object；　he　could　as　soon　have　imagined　Cassius　picking　Caesar's　pocket；　instead　of　drawing　his　poniard　on　the　dictator。
  While　he　thus　mused；　unable　either　to　eat；　drink；　or　answer　to　the　courtesy　of　Lilias；　she　soon　ceased　to　speak　to　him；　and　sat　silent　as　himself。
  They　had　remained　nearly　an　hour　in　their　halting…place；　when　Redgauntlet　said　aloud；　'Look　out；　Cristal　Nixon。　　If　we　hear　nothing　from　Fairladies；　we　must　continue　our　journey。'
  Cristal　went　to　the　door；　and　presently　returned　and　said　to　his　master；　in　a　voice　as　harsh　as　his　features；　'Gilbert　Gregson　is　coming；　his　horse　as　white　with　foam　as　if　a　fiend　had　ridden　him。'
  Redgauntlet　threw　from　him　the　plate　on　which　he　had　been　eating；　and　hastened　towards　the　door　of　the　barn；　which　the　courier　at　that　moment　entered；　a　smart　jockey　with　a　black　velvet　hunting…　cap；　and　a　broad　belt　drawn　tight　round　his　waist；　to　which　was　secured　his　express…bag。　　The　variety　of　mud　with　which　he　was　splashed　from　cap　to　spur　showed　he　had　had　a　rough　and　rapid　ride。　　He　delivered　a　letter　to　Mr。　Redgauntlet；　with　an　obeisance；　and　then　retired　to　the　end　of　the　barn；　where　the　other　attendants　were　sitting　or　lying　upon　the　straw；　in　order　to　get　some　refreshment。
  Redgauntlet　broke　the　letter　open　with　haste；　and　read　it　with　anxious　and　discomposed　looks。　　On　a　second　perusal；　his　displeasure　seemed　to　increase；　his　brow　darkened；　a