Ally ha the agent
dumbfoundered--what be the matter?'

'It is simply this, good friends,' said the agent: 'his lordship has
offered a reward of L500;--L500,' said the agent, slowly repeating the
sum, 'for the apprehension of the notorious poacher, Horace Hunter, who
has threatened his life, and will visit with his gravest displeasure any
one who harbors him, or in any way countenances him; if a tenant he
shall be discharged; and Mrs. Ally here, refuses to let me place the
notice in her bar, thereby showing great disregard for my lord's wishes,
to say the least.'

The farmers mostly shrunk back on this speech; the name of a lord, and
that lord their landlord, appalled them. They knew the bitter wrong he
had heaped upon Hunter's devoted head; they well could sympathize with
him; they had known him a gay and thriving farmer, their lord's especial
favorite--fatal favor--the companionship of the tiger and the deer. The
beauty of Hunter's sister had struck the libidinous eye of the
aristocratic villain--need I say more? ruin and desolation followed--no
one knew what had become of her. The brother had been kidnapped by a
press-gang, but of course the Earl knew nothing of that; he was now,
however, supposed to be lurking in the neighborhood. The Earl had
received a letter in which the brother's heart had been poured out in
bitterness; he had injured, therefore he could not forgive. Not so,
however, Mrs. Alice; she did not fear the lord one jot, and folks did
say, she knew more about him than he would like told; be that as it may,
she loudly protested against its being placed there at all; and was
still indignantly haranguing; now crying shame upon his lordship; now
bewailing poor Ellen, who had been a great favorite of hers, when her
eccentric nephew entered; he looked dusty and fatigued, but there was a
strange smile upon his lips as he looked at the agent. Without saying a
word he walked straight up to the agent, and taking the paper from his
hand procured a hammer and some tacks and nailed it up in the most
conspicuous place in the bar, displacing some of his aunt's ornaments in
so doing; then drinking a mug of ale, he threw himself along a bench and
was or seemed to be sound asleep.

'Dash ma wig,' said the farmer, who had before spoken, 'that dangs all,
the boy be daft and Mrs. Ally doant say nuthen--he be queer for
sartain.'

Mrs. Ally said not a word, but gazed on her nephew with mute
astonishment; she did not, how