our to forget myself."

"You do me injustice," said the Master of Ravenswood--"by all I
hold true and honourable, you do me the extremity of injustice; if I
mentioned the price at which I have bought your love, it is only to show
how much I prize it, to bind our engagement by a still firmer tie, and
to show, by what I have done to attain this station in your regard, how
much I must suffer should you ever break your faith."

"And why, Ravenswood," answered Lucy, "should you think that possible?
Why should you urge me with even the mention of infidelity? Is it
because I ask you to delay applying to my father for a little space of
time? Bind me by what vows you please; if vows are unnecessary to
secure constancy, they may yet prevent suspicion." Ravenswood pleaded,
apologised, and even kneeled, to appease her displeasure; and Lucy, as
placable as she was single-hearted, readily forgave the offence which
his doubts had implied. The dispute thus agitated, however, ended by the
lovers going through an emblematic ceremony of their troth-plight, of
which the vulgar still preserve some traces. They broke betwixt them
the thin broad-piece of gold which Alice had refused to receive from
Ravenswood.

"And never shall this leave my bosom," said Lucy, as she hung the piece
of gold round her neck, and concealed it with her handkerchief, "until
you, Edgar Ravenswood, ask me to resign it to you; and, while I wear it,
never shall that heart acknowledge another love than yours."

With like protestations, Ravenswood placed his portion of the coin
opposite to his heart. And now, at length, it struck them that time had
hurried fast on during this interview, and their absence at the castle
would be subject of remark, if not of alarm. As they arose to leave the
fountain which had been witness of their mutual engagement, an arrow
whistled through the air, and struck a raven perched on the sere branch
of an old oak, near to where they had been seated. The bird fluttered a
few yards and dropped at the feet of Lucy, whose dress was stained with
some spots of its blood.

Miss Ashton was much alarmed, and Ravenswood, surprised and angry,
looked everywhere for the marksman, who had given them a proof of his
skill as little expected as desired. He was not long of discovering
himself, being no other than Henry Ashton, who came running up with a
crossbow in his hand.

"I knew I should startle you," he said; "and do you know, you looked so
busy th