there, amidst the continued shouts
of the men.

"Forgive me, forgive me, father!" cried she. "My choice is justified by my
love, and the characters of my lovers. The one is a coward, the other a
brave youth. Hume's intentions are honourable, and I may be the respected
wife of one of noble blood."

"I forgive thee, Bell," answered the father. And he took her hand and
placed it in Hume's. "Come, Captain, forgive her too, and let us all be
friends."

He looked round for the Captain, and all the party looked also; but the
hero was gone. He had mounted a white Rosinante, as thin as he was fat, and
was busy striking her protruding bones with his sword, to propel her on to
Berwick, where he thought he would be more safe than where he was. The
figure he made in his retreat--his large swelled body on the lean jade,
like a tun of wine on a gantress--his anxiety to get off--his receding
position--his flight after such a day of vaunting--all conspired to render
the sight ludicrous in the extreme. One general burst of laughter filled
the air; but the Captain held on his course, and never stopped till he
arrived at Berwick. That day Hume and Isabel were wed--and a happy day it
was for the Berwickers; who, in place of fighting, were occupied in
drinking the healths of the couple. The device of Hume, in sending them to
the Newmilne, was admired for its ingenuity; and all Berwick rung with the
praises of Hume and his fair spouse. Regular entries were made in the
council books, of the expedition to the Newmilne, "where they braived the
Scottes to come and fecht them, butte the cowardes never appeared." But it
was deemed prudent to say nothing therein of Hume's trick, which,
doubtless, might have reduced the amount of bravery which it was necessary
should appear, for the honour of the town.

END OF VOL. XVII.

_Tubbs & Brook, Printers, Manchester._

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| Transcriber's Note: |
| |
| Inconsistencies and unexpected spelling, punctuation and |
| hyphenation have been retained as they appear in the |
| original book except: |
| |
| Page 31 through the intrumentality has been changed to |