The Baronet's Bride

ry man of them, the poaching scoundrels, if I could! Tell that villain Dick Darkly that the first time I

nd shapely as a lady's, resting on the glossy neck of his bay horse, h

standing before his young master, h

missis was sick, and two of the children had the measles, and Will Darkly he'd been

this convicted poacher? Is that

ard; I only wanted to warn y

What do you mean? Has that villai

his brother went to Worrel Jail, to be revenged upon you. And so, Sir Everard, begging your pardon for the freedom, I thou

ur presumption this time; but never proffer advice to me again. As for Darkly, he had better keep out of my way

tly into the sa

d gazing after him as he a

ould take you with one hand by the waist-band, and lay you low in the kennel any day he liked! And he'll do it, too!" muttered Godsoe, turning sl

ool breeze swept up from the sea over the golden downs and distant hills, and as Sir Everard rode

at the reception last night in those velvet robes and the Carteret diamonds!-'queen rose of the rose-bud garden of girls.' She is my elder by three round years at least, but she is stately as a princ

poverished an earl that the young Devonshire baronet, with his ancie

m the hour she had met him first. He was on his way to Lord Carteret's now. There was a dinner-party, and h

midst of a group of less magnificent demoiselles-a statuesque blonde, with abundant r

ts to his host and hostess,

ge Grosvenor has been looking this way, and pulling his mustache and blushing redder than the carnations

e," answered Sir Everard Kingsland. "Grosvenor is not singular in h

oom, I fancy. Apropos, Sir Everard, I ride to the meet to-morrow. Of c

a crack pack of hounds, a 'good scent,' and a fine morning, a man is tempted to wish l

ride to points. Besides, I am not really Amazonian enough to fancy a s

ive than in a hunting-field, among yelping hounds, and s

with a side-saddle and a hard gallop. Now, I don't own to being anything in the Di Vernon line myself, and I don't wish to be; but I do think a pretty girl never looks h

e Hunsden

ll find them duly chronicled in Burke and Debrett. Miss Hunsden is scarcely eighteen, but she has been over the world-from Quebec to Gib

said, just lifting h

n ride

Vernon'

etty? and shall we see h

ou all. Her scarlet habit and 'red roan steed' are as well known in the country as the duke's hounds, and her

ly wired, and dreading this Amazonian Miss Hunsden as a prospective rival, she was nothing l

mondeley actually fought a duel about her, and it ended in her telling them to their faces th

rard sh

You honor Miss Hunsden with your dee

r it; but she is altogether unlike any girl I ever know. I am certain,"

st know what my style is,

ret gave that mysterious signal, and the ladies rose and swept away in billows of silk to the

on his favorite topics--horse-flesh and hunting. He was in love, he thought complacently, and Lady Louise's eyes h

I will ask Lady Louise this very night. An earl's daugh

alling full on her pale, statuesque face, and

rossed over and stood b

anged significant

ught Louise down for no other earthly reason; and L

music, and Lady Louise held him spell-bound now. She played, and her fin

who could bewitch the hours away with such music as this would be no undesirable

lovely, and the good people yonder are altogethe

h him from the open French win

and found, standing side by side with this pale daughter of a hundred earls. But the irrevocable words were not destined to be

lonely one through Brithlow Wood, which shortened his journey by over a mile; but his

the matter would have been safely settled by this time-and settled pleasantly too, I take it;

started up a giant black figure, and his horse was gr

g man dauntlessly cried

u? What do

a deep, gruff voice, "and

k as lightning raising his riding-whip and slashing t

n sprung hack. The next instant, with a horrible oath, h

ill you before, I would kill you for that cut of your whip. I've waited for you, Sir Everard Kingsland

e struggled madly to get free, while the horse, wi

miserable rabbits to keep his sick wife and children from starving. I swore it, and I'll keep my oath. You told your gamekeeper

his arms, and raising the whip, slashed Dick Darkly for the second ti

erer closed with his victim. They grappled,

match for the burly giant. With a savage cry, the huge poacher thrust his h

ll have your heart's bloo

ingsland tried to gasp one last br

h a last wild struggl

word was lost in the sharp report of a pistol, and with a scream of