No doubt about that, Mrs Halliburt," observed Miss Jane. "But there
is one more powerful than Satan who will protect the innocent."

"True, marm, but He will protect them through the means of their
friends, and it's our business, if we suspect evil to guard against it,"
said the dame.

"You are right. But who is the person of whom you speak who is likely
to injure our little girl?"

"We must not speak ill of our neighbours, Miss Pemberton," answered the
dame. "I know that; but if our neighbours do ill we may warn others
against them. The man I mean is Miles Gaffin, the miller, as he calls
himself. Now, I cannot say exactly what ill he does, except that I
never heard of his doing any good or saying even a kind word, though he
says many a bad one: but Adam, my husband, has a pretty strong notion of
the sort of business he carries on, and that it's not by his mill he
makes his money. There are few about here who don't stand in awe of
him, and yet it would be hard for anyone to say exactly why. Only one
thing is certain, that if he had a mind to do a thing he would do it,
and set the law at defiance. To say the truth, I cannot tell you more
against him than I have, but I am just afraid of him, and cannot help
feeling as how he would work mischief to our Maiden May if he had the
chance. But, Miss Pemberton, you will not repeat what I have said?"

"Certainly not, dame, certainly not," said Miss Mary, "but after all I
cannot say that you have brought any serious accusation against the
miller, nor can I understand why you should fancy he is likely to injure
our Maiden May."

"That's just it, Miss Mary, no one about here can say exactly what he
does, or why they don't like him. Still, no one does like him, and I
feel a sort of tremble whenever I set my eyes on him, just as I should,
begging your pardon, ladies, if I was to meet Satan himself, though I
know well he cannot hurt me, for I trust in one who is able to keep evil
at a distance."

"Though I still remain in the dark as to why we should be cautious of
this man Gaffin, we will always keep a careful watch over Maiden May,
and when you or your son cannot come for her we will send her home with
some prudent person who will take care that neither he nor anyone else
runs off with her," answered Miss Jane.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN.

AT PORTSMOUTH.

Portsmouth was a busy place in those stirring times of warfare, and as
the coach, on the top of which Harry was se