iles went on speaking in the same strain, but the tone of his voice
showed that he was losing patience. Suddenly he changed his tone.

"Just listen to me," he exclaimed. "I have the means of making your
fortune, and my own too. I know who you are, and if you will marry me I
will enable you to gain your rights, and make you as wealthy as any lady
in the land need wish to be."

May, believing that what he said was a falsehood, merely uttered to gain
her attention, hurried on as before.

"I say I am not going to stand this a second time," exclaimed the young
ruffian, seizing her by the wrist. "If you won't come to terms by fair
means, you must expect me to use a little force when it is for your own
good. Don't be screaming out; I will tell you what I want you to know,
and what you yourself would give anything to learn, though I can only
tell you if you will promise to marry me, and keep it a secret till
then."

"Let go my hand!" were the first words May uttered, still not attending
to what he said, her alarm prevented her from understanding the meaning
of his words, as it did also from crying out for help; indeed, so few
people passed that way, that unless her voice was heard at Downside, it
was not probable that any help could be obtained.

"Listen," he exclaimed, trying to force her back from Downside. "I tell
you I have got something particular to say to you, and I won't say it
unless you will listen quietly."

"Let me go," repeated May again. "I do not wish to listen to you, all I
require is to be allowed to go home. If you really have anything to say
you can communicate it in a letter to the Miss Pembertons."

"That won't suit me," answered Miles. "I have told you before, if
gentle means won't succeed I must use force, though I am sorry for it,"
and he again began to drag her forward.

May, though now more alarmed than ever, recovered her voice, and made
use of it by uttering a loud shriek. It might have been heard at
Downside, and Miles seemed to think that it was, for he turned his head
anxiously in that direction, expecting apparently to see some one issue
from the gate.

May, struggling to get free, looked also the same way. Again she
uttered a cry for help. At the same moment a man bounded round the
corner of the road, and before Miles was aware of his approach, he was
laid prostrate on the ground by a blow from Jacob Halliburt's powerful
fist. "Run, Miss May, run," he exclaimed, "there are