ed, who asked the way to Mr.
Neville's. Isabel knew that the real name of her husband was known only
to herself in that neighbourhood, and suspected a snare of De Vallance's
to get him into his power and rob him of all that remained, his life.
She anxiously inquired what further passed, little Eustace answered, "We
said nobody lived near but our father, whose name was not Neville but
Evellin. He asked us if he was tall, with dark hair, and carried himself
like a Prince. We had seen no Princes, but I put on my cap as he does,
and shewed how he walked, and the poor man caught me in his arms, almost
smothered me with kisses, and said he would never stir from that spot
till his master came."

"Foolish children," said the mother; "perhaps you have betrayed your
father to those who hunt for his life."

"No, indeed," replied Isabel, "he is too weak and ill to hurt any body.
He is very hungry still, though I gave him all the cloud-berries I had
gathered, and filled his can with water. He blessed us just as you do,
and I am sure he never would hurt my father."

"Go round by the coppice, my darling; meet your father and tell him what
you have seen; I will go to the stranger."--"And take some cordials with
you," said both the children. "He shall want no cordials if he be what
he appears," returned Mrs. Evellin; "but, sweet lambs, there are more
wolves in the world than true shepherds."

The suspicions of the fond wife were in this instance groundless. The
stranger was David Williams, formerly comptroller of the Earl of
Bellingham's household, who, discovering that his real master was not
dead, as Earl Walter now affirmed, set out with a determination of
discovering his retreat. He carried with him the honourable savings of a
life of industry; but having been attacked on the road and robbed of his
property, he arrived, exhausted and pennyless, among the Fells of
Fourness, in appearance a burden to the family he wished to serve.

Yet this faithful old servant, though bare and withering like the
scathed oak, was inexpressibly welcome to one who so deeply suffered
from the crimes of duplicity. Williams soon recovered his strength under
the care of his dear old master; and though the mountain cottage bore no
resemblance to the embattled towers of Castle Bellingham, still he was
under the roof of a true Neville, and he would not change his service to
attend an Emperor. Evellin took a lively interest in the society of his
old domest