em.

"What has happened to Lady Harriet?" some one questioned of Nancy, who
was expected to know all her secrets.

"Alas--nothing interests her ladyship any more," she replied! Nancy
knew perfectly well that, ever since their escapade, Harriet had
thought of nothing but Lionel. For Nancy's part, she had not thought
of much besides Plunkett; but she did not mean to reveal the
situation to the court busybodies. Then while the huntresses were
roaming about the inn, out came Plunkett! and Nancy, not perceiving at
first who he was, went up to him and began to speak.

"Pray, my good man, can you tell--Good heaven!" she exclaimed,
recognizing him; "Plunkett!"

"Yes, madame, Plunkett; and now Plunkett will see if you get the
better of him a second time. We'll let the sheriff settle this matter,
right on the spot."

"Man, you are mad. Do not breathe my name or each huntress here shall
take aim and bring you down. Ho, there!" she cried distractedly to her
friends; and she took aim at Plunkett, while all of the others closed
round him. It was then Plunkett's turn to beg for mercy.

"They're upon me, they've undone me!" he cried. "This is serious," and
so indeed it was. "But oh, dear me, there is a remarkable charm in
these girls, even if they do threaten a man's life," and still looking
back over his shoulder, away he ran, pursued by the girls. They had no
sooner gone than Lionel came in. He was looking disconsolately at the
flowers to which Martha sang the "Last Rose of Summer." He himself
sang a few measures of the song and then looked about him.

"Ah," he sighed, thinking still of Martha:

[Music:

None so rare,
None so fair,
Yet enraptur'd mortal heart;
Maiden dear.
Past compare,
Oh, 'twas death from thee to part!
Ere I saw thy sweet face
On my heart there was no trace
Of that love from above,
That in sorrow now I prove;
but alas, thou art gone,
And in grief I mourn alone;
Life a shadow doth seem,
And my joy a fleeting dream,
A fleeting dream.
None so rare, etc.]

And after he had sung thus touchingly of Martha, he threw himself down
on the grass, and remained absorbed in his thoughts. But while he was
resting there, Lady Harriet and Sir Tristram had also wandered
thither. At first they did not see Lionel.

"I have come here away from the others, in order to be alone," Harriet
declared impatiently.

"Alone with me?" Sir Tri