the faithful Lance Outram, but her mind had been
since harassed by the long delay of their appearance, and rumours of
disturbances which had taken place in Fleet Street and in the Strand.

When the first rapturous meeting was over, Lady Peveril, with an anxious
look towards her son, as if recommending caution, said she was now about
to present to him the daughter of an old friend, whom he had _never_
(there was an emphasis on the word) seen before. "This young lady," she
continued, "was the only child of Colonel Mitford, in North Wales, who
had sent her to remain under her guardianship for an interval, finding
himself unequal to attempt the task of her education."

"Ay, ay," said Sir Geoffrey, "Dick Mitford must be old now--beyond the
threescore and ten, I think. He was no chicken, though a cock of the
game, when he joined the Marquis of Hertford at Namptwich with two
hundred wild Welshmen.--Before George, Julian, I love that girl as
if she was my own flesh and blood! Lady Peveril would never have got
through this work without her; and Dick Mitford sent me a thousand
pieces, too, in excellent time, when there was scarce a cross to keep
the devil from dancing in our pockets, much more for these law-doings. I
used it without scruple, for there is wood ready to be cut at Martindale
when we get down there, and Dick Mitford knows I would have done the
like for him. Strange that he should have been the only one of my
friends to reflect I might want a few pieces."

Whilst Sir Geoffrey thus run on, the meeting betwixt Alice and Julian
Peveril was accomplished, without any particular notice on his side,
except to say, "Kiss her, Julian--kiss her. What the devil! is that the
way you learned to accost a lady at the Isle of Man, as if her lips were
a red-hot horseshoe?--And do not you be offended, my pretty one; Julian
is naturally bashful, and has been bred by an old lady, but you will
find him, by-and-by, as gallant as thou hast found me, my princess.--And
now, Dame Peveril, to dinner, to dinner! the old fox must have his
belly-timber, though the hounds have been after him the whole day."

Lance, whose joyous congratulations were next to be undergone, had the
consideration to cut them short, in order to provide a plain but hearty
meal from the next cook's shop, at which Julian sat, like one enchanted,
betwixt his mistress and his mother. He easily conceived that the last
was the confidential friend to whom Bridgenorth had final