he Russell Taylors' last night?"

"No; and we do not wish to hear. Do not tell us any horrible stories,
unless you mean my husband to stay at home to-night."

"Oh, you must just hear this, because it ended well; that is, nobody was
killed. Mr Walcot told Sophia all about it this morning; and it was
partly that which made her so anxious to have some one sleep in the
house to-night."

"Well, then, do not tell us, or you will make us anxious for the same
thing."

"What would your mother say if you were to carry home word that Mr Hope
could not come--that his family dare not part with him?"

"Oh, then she must let me have my father's pistols, and watch for the
fellows. If they came about our windows as they did about the Russell
Taylors', how I would let fly among them! They came rapping at the
shutters, at two this morning; and when Mr Taylor looked out from his
bedroom above, they said they would not trouble themselves to get in, if
he would throw out his money!"

"And did he?"

"Yes. They raised a hat upon a pole, and he put in four or five
pounds--all he had in the house, he told them. So they went away; but
none of the family thought of going to bed again."

"I dare say not. And what sort of thieves are these supposed to be?
They set about their business very oddly."

"Not like London thieves," said Sydney, consequentially, as if he knew
all about London thieves. "They are the distressed country people, no
doubt--such as would no more think of standing a second shot from my
pistol, than of keeping the straits of Thermopylae. Look here," he
continued, showing the end of a pistol, which peeped from a pocket
inside his coat; "here's a thing that will put such gentry into a fine
taking."

"Pray, is that pistol loaded?" inquired Hester, pressing her infant to
her.

"To be sure. What is the use of a pistol if it is not loaded? It might
as well be in the shop as in my pocket, then. Look at her, cousin
Margaret! If she is not in as great a fright as the cowardly thieves!
Why, cousin Hester, don't you see, if this pistol went off, it would not
shoot you or the baby. It would go straight through me."

"That is a great comfort. But I had rather you would go away, you and
your pistol. Pray, does your mother know that you carry one?"

"No. Mind you don't tell her. I trust you not to tell her. Remember,
I would not have told you if I had not felt sure of you."

"You had better not have felt sure