g which the stillness had an effect most appalling.

While he was speaking, Miss Travers had drawn near to a low latticed
window which lay half open, and as she peeped in, immediately drew back,
and beckoned with her hand for her father to approach, intimating by a
cautious gesture that he should do so noiselessly. Sir Marmaduke came
stealthily to her side, and, leaning over her shoulder, looked into the
room. As both father and daughter exchanged glances, they seemed with
difficulty to refrain from laughing, while astonishment was strongly
depicted on the countenance of each. As they continued to gaze, their
first emotion gradually yielded to a look of intense interest at the
scene before them.

Seated beside the large turf fire of the priest's kitchen, for such it
was, was a youth of some fifteen or sixteen years. His figure, light and
well proportioned, was clad in a fashion which denoted his belonging to
the better class, though neglect and time had made many an inroad on the
Costume. His brow was lofty and delicately formed--the temples marked
with many a thin blue rein, which had given ft look of delicacy to the
countenance, if the deep glow of health had not lit up his cheeks, and
imparted a bright lustre to his eyes. He held before him an open volume,
from which he declaimed rather than read aloud, as it seemed, for the
special delight and amusement of a small ragged urchin of about nine
years old--who, with bare legs and feet, was seated on a little pyramid
of turf, right opposite to him.

Well might Sir Marmaduke and his daughter feel surprise; the volume was
Homer, from which, with elevated voice and flashing eye, the boy was
reading--the deep-toned syllables ringing through the low-vaulted
chamber with a sweet but a solemn music. Contrasted with the fervid
eloquence of the youth, was the mute wonder and rapt attention of the
little fellow who listened. Astonishment, awe, and eager curiosity,
blended together in that poor little face, every lineament of which
trembled with excitement. If a high soaring imagination and elevated
tone of thought were depicted in the one, the other, not less forcibly
realized the mute and trembling eagerness of impassioned interest.

The youth paused for a few seconds, and seemed to be reflecting over
what he read, when the boy, in an accent broken with anxiety, cried
out--

"Read it, again, Master Herbert. Oh, read it again. It's like the cry of
the big stag-hound at Carrig