n her anguish and awful in her
despair--her foes appalled at her sufferings and the bravery of her
spirit, though still panting for her destruction--their arrows are on
the string--yet the untaught, but secret and powerful respect for the
great source of our good as well as of our evil passions--Nature--works
within them, and she passes on, unmolested, to her lair:--even so did
Dalton pass along, carrying his daughter, as she were a sleeping infant,
through the armed warriors, who made way, as if unconscious of what they
did;--some, who were themselves fathers, pressed their mailed fingers on
their eyes, while others touched their helmets, and raised them a little
from their brows.

"Colonel Jones," exclaimed the enraged Burrell, "you will have to answer
for this to a high power. The Protector would give its weight in gold
for the head of that man; and the weight of that again for a knowledge
of his haunts."

"Sir Willmott," was the soldier's reply, who, now that Dalton was really
gone, began to fear he had done wrong in permitting his escape, and
therefore resolved to brave it haughtily, "I can answer for my own
actions. Methinks you are cold and hot as best serves your purpose!"
Then turning abruptly from him, he added, "We will but intrude upon the
hospitality of this mourning bride," glancing at Constantia's dress, and
smiling grimly, "until some tidings be obtained of the person who has
perpetrated this horrid murder; and having refreshed our horses, return
forthwith; for his Highness is impatient of delay, and 'tis good fifty
miles to London. Our orders were, Sir Willmott, that you hold no
communion with any; so that, if you have aught to say to Mistress Cecil,
it must be said at once."

"I can only offer my protestations against this tyrannical--ay, sir, I
speak boldly, and repeat it--this tyrannical mandate--and assure the
fair dame that I consider her my lawful wife."

Constantia made no reply. Colonel Jones then gave the Lady Frances a
slip of paper from the Protector, which merely stated that he thought
she ought to remain with her friend, until the mysterious rumour was
either cleared up or confirmed. Lady Frances right joyfully assented;
and Constantia, overpowered by a multitude of contending feelings, led
the way with her father, who seemed as passive and as uninterested in
the events of that most eventful hour, as if he were a child of a
twelvemonth old. The soldiers who had been sent to reconnoitre