e told
him all about it, and the brave fellow answered:--

"Bring it in here, passon; we've a place to put it in where it'll be
safe till they send for it. I ain't scared, not I. You know my four boys
in your club; they've all got guns and can use 'em, and I've got mine to
boot." So, they left the body there, and persuaded the sister to come
with them on their six mile walk home. It was seven o'clock before they
had accomplished half the journey, and had been met by the
representatives of an anxious household, the Squire and his
father-in-law, the latter with rifle in hand, prepared for action. The
first joy at beholding them safe and sound was damped by the news they
brought. As soon as Carruthers could recover himself he spoke to the
weird woman and invited her to come and rest at Bridesdale. Then he
hastened on ahead to warn his wife and sister, and make arrangements for
the reception of the strange visitor. When the party arrived at the
house they found a large company, young and old, assembled to meet them,
for, in addition to the doctor and his daughter, there was Mrs. Du
Plessis with her daughter on one side, and, in all its soldierly
dignity, the tall form of Colonel Morton on the other. The lawyer also
noticed the ebon countenance of Mr. Maguffin peering over the palings in
the direction of the stables. Matilda Nagle was hurried away to the
back of the house by Mrs. Carruthers and her sister-in-law, there to
find her idiot boy, to partake of necessary food provided by the
compassionate Tryphena, and, for a time, altogether to forget the sad
tragedy of the day. Tryphosa prepared tea for the truants in the
breakfast room, and, after the formalities of introduction and
reacquaintance had been gone through, Miss Carmichael poured out tea for
the five, while Tryphosa did the same for Ben in the kitchen. The
Captain told how Mr. Errol and the lawyer braved the terrors of the
barred-in lakes, which appalled the stout heart of big Ben Toner. The
two heroes hastened to put all the credit on one another's shoulders, in
which, so far as one person's estimation was concerned, the minister
triumphed, for, through the tears that shimmered in her eyes, Coristine
could see that the presiding goddess was proud of him, and, with all his
simple-heartedness, he knew that such pride has its origin in
possession.

CHAPTER XI.

Old Man Newcome's Escape, Arrest and Conveyance Home--The Colonel's
Plan of Campaign--H