f the other child, as if from
a viper; in which natural but harsh act they saw each other for the
first time, and their eyes gleamed in a moment with hate and defiance
over their loving children.

Here was a picture of a different kind, and if the melancholy Jaques,
or any other gentleman with a foible for thinking in a wood; had been
there, methinks he had moralized very prettily on the hideousness of
hate and the beauty of the sentiment it had interrupted so fiercely.
But it escaped this sort of comment for about eight years. Well, all
this woke the bairns; the lights dazzled them, the people scared them.
Each hid a little face on the paternal shoulder.

The fathers, like wild beasts, each carrying off a lamb, withdrew,
glaring at each other; but the very next moment the stronger and better
sentiment prevailed, and they kissed and blessed their restored
treasures, and forgot their enemies for a time.

Sir Charles's party followed him, and supped at Huntercombe, every man
Jack of them.

Reginald, who had delivered a terrific cat-call, now ran off to Lady
Bassett. There she was, still on her knees.

"Found! found!" he shouted.

She clasped him in her arms and wept for joy.

"My eyes!" said he, "what a one you are to cry! You come home; you'll
catch your death o' cold."

"No, no; take me to my child at once."

"Can't be done; the governor has carried him off through the wood; and
I ain't a going to let you travel the wood. You come with me; we'll go
the short cut, and be home as soon as them."

She complied, though trembling all over.

On the way he told her where the children had been discovered, and in
what attitude.

"Little darlings!" said she. "But he has frightened his poor mother,
and nearly broken her heart. Oh!"

"If you cry any more, mamma--Shut up, I tell you!"

_"Must_ I? Oh!"

"Yes, or you'll catch pepper."

Then he pulled her along, gabbling all the time. "Those two swells
didn't quarrel after all, you see."

"Thank Heaven!"

"But they looked at each other like hobelixes, and pulled the kids away
like pison. Ha! ha! I say, the young 'uns ain't of the same mind as the
old 'uns. I say, though, our Compton is not a bad sort; I'm blowed if
he hadn't taken off his tippet to put round his gal. I say, don't you
think that little chap has begun rather early? Why, _I_ didn't trouble
my head about the gals till I was eleven years old."

Lady Bassett was too much agitated to discuss these del