Ravenshoe

Channel, you would find, after sailing all day beneath shoreless headlands of black slate, that the land suddenly fell away and sunk down, leaving, instead of beetling cliff

ater, is snatched away above and beyond it, along a wooded glen, the cradle of the stream, which pierces the country landward for a mile or two, till the misty vista is abruptly barred by a steep blue hill, which crosses the valley at right angles. A pretty little village stands at the mouth of the stream, and straggles with charming irregularity along the shore for a considerable distance westward; while behind, some little distance up the glen, a handsome church tower rises from among the trees. There are some fishi

ands, at the culminating point of which, on a buttress which runs down from the higher hills behind, stands the house I speak of, the north front looking on the sea, and t

ment of a high stone tower, which occupies the centre of the building. At the north-west corner (that towards the village) rises another tower of equal height; and behind, above the irregular groups of chimneys, the more modern cupola

quad, in place of the trim grass-plat, is occupied by a tan lunging ring, in the middle of which stands a granite basin filled with crystal water from the hills. In front of the west wing, a terraced flower-garden goes step by step towards the stream, till the smooth-shaven lawns almost mingle with the wild ferny heather turf of the park

habitants, one would have seen signs of an unusual agitation. Round the kitchen door stood a group of female servants talking eagerly together; and, at the other side of the court, some half-doze

d Densil in the Fleet prison in old times. He had some time before this married a beautiful Irish Catholic waiting-maid of Lady Alicia's, by who

lady to-nig

said a weeping Irish h

he young

ying his little eyes o

ter Cuthbert, I'll warran

he born?"

ours," said th

note in his hat as he went; he came to the stud-groom, and said hurrie

r. How is

ar as I can

him disappear like a speck along the mountain road far aloft; then he went into the

own desolate land that lay between him and the grave-for a part of which you and I are to accompany him; while his mother even now was preparing for her rest

sands; fainter and still fainter came the breath of the dying mother. The babe lay beside her, and her arm was round its body. The old vicar knelt by the bed, and Densil sto

er hand, and, taking one of the vicar's, laid it upon the baby's head. Then she

you will rememb

wear it,

s, and a greater effort:

espect the promise he ha

igh; then there was a long silence; then the vicar rose from his kn

nt straight to his own study. There he sat down

d how the love of her had grown stronger, year by year, since their first child was born. How he had respected her for her firmness and consistency;

rotestant as his mother had wished. He knew the opposition he would have from Father Mackworth, and determined to brave it. And,

e, if it wasn't for the boys. No, hang it, it wouldn't do. If I'd told him under seal of confessio

door. The most acute of us make a mistake sometimes; and he, haunted with vague suspicions since the conversation he had overheard in the drawing-room before the birth of Cuthbert, gr

Densil had time, either to finish the sentence written above, or to

Densil, pointi

aid the pries

er tone. "Do you hear me? I want

fairly in a rage? Densil, who was in general civilly af

"about which I feel it my duty to speak to you, in spite of the somewhat unreaso

hy

iling, and I wis

ed as a turkey-cock. "He will be baptised in proper time

now brought fairly to bay, was bent on be

over your son to eternal perdition" (he didn't say perdition, he used a

nd-easy sort of way? Why, what my family has done for the Church ought to keep a do

aced, bright-eyed, curly-headed man about fifty, who entered the room suddenly, followed by James. For one instant you might have

st that your son's spiritual welfare should for the present yield t

doctor's kindly glance. "God bless me," he said, "I n

u will let Norah have the young mas

roposal. I think it, indeed, a most special providence that she should be

is the nurse? where is the boy?" And, so saying, he hur

rom his hiding-place more than once to see if he were gone. At length he raised his arm and struck his clenc

hily from a dark corner where he had lain hidden, and with a look of min

e holding their way across the court-yard towards a cottage which lay in the woo

pure complexion, and bringing a strange sheen on her long loose black hair. Her face was bent down, gazing on the child which lay on her breast; and at the entrance of the party she loo

Norah," said Densil. "It

my little bird. Come to your nest, alanna

tact with the little hand of the other child, and paused there. At this moment, a beautiful little girl, about five years old, got on the bed, and nestled her pea

see them distorted and changed by many passions, and shall meet them in man