a former husband, immediately re-seized her; and with fierce
violence endeavored to wrench her hand from the handle of the carriage
door, which she clutched with desperate tenacity. The door flew open,
the sudden jerk disengaged her hold, and she struggled vainly in her
captor's powerful grasp. "Save me! save me!" she frantically exclaimed,
as she felt herself borne off. "You who are, they say, as kind and good
as you are beautiful and happy, save me from this cruel man!"

Lady Compton, inexpressibly shocked by the piteous spectacle presented by
the unhappy girl--her scanty clothing soiled, disarrayed, and torn by the
violence of her struggles; her long flaxen tresses flowing disorderly
over her face and neck in tangled dishevelment; and the pale, haggard,
wild expression of her countenance--was for a few moments incapable of
speech. Her sister was more collected: "Violet," she instantly
remonstrated, "do not permit this brutal violence."

"What right has she or any one to interfere with us?" demanded the young
man savagely. "This girl is Major Brandon's ward, as well as niece, and
_shall_ return to her lawful home! Stand back," continued he, addressing
the servants, who, at a gesture from Miss Dalston, barred his progress.
"Withstand me at your peril!"

"Force her from him!" exclaimed Lady Compton, recovering her
voice. "Gently! gently! I will be answerable for her safe custody
till the morning."

The athletic fellow struggled desperately; but however powerful and
determined, he was only one man against a score, nearly all the
bystanders being tenants or laborers on the Compton estates; and spite of
his furious efforts, and menaces of law and vengeance, Clara was torn
from him in a twinkling, and himself hurled with some violence prostrate
on the road. "Do not let them hurt the man," said Lady Compton, as the
servants placed the insensible girl in the carriage (she had fainted);
"and tell him that if he has really any legal claim to the custody of
this unfortunate person, he must prefer it in the morning."

Immediately on arrival at the castle, the escaped prisoner was conveyed
to bed, and medical aid instantly summoned. When restored to
consciousness, whether from the effect of an excess of fever producing
temporary delirium, or from confirmed mental disease, her speech was
altogether wild and incoherent--the only at all consistent portions of
her ravings being piteously--iterated appeals to Lady Compton not to
s