k God, my dear father, you are not hurt! And are they really
gone?--and where--where are we?"

The squire, relieving Clifford of his charge, folded his child in his
arms, while in his own elucidatory manner he informed her where she was,
and with whom. The lovers stood face to face to each other; but what
delicious blushes did the night, which concealed all but the outline of
their forms, hide from the eyes of Clifford!

The honest and kind heart of Mr. Brandon was glad of a release to the
indulgent sentiments it had always cherished towards the suspected and
maligned Clifford, and turning now from Lucy, it fairly poured itself
forth upon her deliverer. He grasped him warmly by the hand, and
insisted upon his accompanying them to Bath in the carriage, and
allowing the footman to ride his horse. This offer was still pending,
when the footman, who had been to see after the health and comfort of
his fellow-servant, came to inform the party, in a dolorous accent, of
something which, in the confusion and darkness of the night, they had
not yet learned,--namely, that the horses and coachman were gone!

"Gone!" said the squire, "gone! Why, the villains can't (for my part,
I never believe, though I have heard such wonders of, those sleight of
hand) have bagged them!"

Here a low groan was audible; and the footman, sympathetically guided to
the spot whence it emanated, found the huge body of the coachman safely
deposited, with its face downward, in the middle of the kennel. After
this worthy had been lifted to his legs, and had shaken himself into
intelligence, it was found that when the robber had detained the horses,
the coachman, who required very little to conquer his more bellicose
faculties, had--he himself said, by a violent blow from the ruffian,
though, perhaps, the cause lay nearer home--quitted the coach-box for
the kennel, the horses grew frightened, and after plunging and rearing
till he cared no longer to occupy himself with their arrest, the
highwayman had very quietly cut the traces, and by the time present,
it was not impossible that the horses were almost at the door of their
stables at Bath.

The footman who had apprised the squire of this misfortune was,
unlike most news-tellers, the first to offer consolation. "There be an
excellent public," quoth he, "about a half a mile on, where your honour
could get horses; or, mayhap, if Miss Lucy, poor heart, be faint, you
may like to stop for the night."

Thoug