to his father, the latter replied,

"Ah, the villain--that's his feelin', is it! Well, never mind, I'll
punish him one day."

Some months after this he came into Mr. Gourlay's study, with a very
solemn and anxious face, and said,

"I have something to say to you, sir."

"Well, Anthony, what is it you have to say to me?"

"Maybe I'm wrong, sir, and I know I oughtn't to alarm you or disturb
your mind; but still I think I ought to put you on your guard."

"Confound your caution, sir; can't you come out with whatever you have
to say at once?"

"Would it be possible, sir, that there could be any danger of the child
bein' taken away like the other--like your brother's?"

"What do you mean--why do you ask such a question?"

"Bekaise, sir, I observed for the last few days a couple of strange men
peepin' and pimpin' about the place, and wherever the child went they
kept dodgin' afther him."

"But why should any one think of taking him away?"

"Hem!--well, I don't know, sir; but you know that the heir was taken
away."

"Come, Anthony, be quiet--walls have ears; go on."

"What 'ud you think if there was sich a thing as revinge in the world?
I'm not suspectin' any one, but at the same time, a woman's revinge
is the worst and deepest of all revinges. You know very well that she
suspects you--and, indeed, so does the world."

"But very wrongly, you know, Anthony," replied the baronet, with a smile
dark as murder.

"Why, ay, to be sure," replied the instrument, squirting the tobacco
spittle into the fire, and turning on him a grin that might be
considered a suitable commentary upon the smile of his employer.

"But," added Mr. Gourlay, "what if it should be the father, instead of
the son, they want?"

"But why would they be dodgin' about the child, sir?"

"True; it is odd enough. Well, I shall give orders to have him well
watched."

"And, with the help o' God, I'll put a mark upon him that'll make him
be known, at any rate, through all changes, barrin' they should take his
life."

"How do you mean by a mark!" asked the other.

"I learnt it in the army, sir, when I was with Sir Edward. It's done by
gunpowder. It can do no harm, and will at any time durin' his life make
him known among millions. It can do no harm, at any rate, sir."

"Very well, Anthony--very well," replied Mr. Gourlay; "mark him as you
like, and when it is done, let me see it."

In about a fortnight afterwards, old Corbet brought his son t