'I mean to trouble you no longer

'I mean to trouble you no longer. I mean to make the last and greatest
sacrifice I can for you; and to save you from a crime--or, if you must
share the crime, at least to screen you from punishment. Look, here!'
she added, producing a small phial. 'Bid me drink of this, and ere
to-morrow you are free, and I am at rest. Shall I do it?'

'No, _dher Chiernah_, never

'No, _dher Chiernah_, never. That, Ellen, is goin" beyant what I"m able
to bear. Ask me to cut off my right hand for your sake, an" I"ll do it;
ask my life, an" I"ll give it: but to ask a Lamh Laudher to bear a
blow from a Neil--never. What! how could I rise my face afther such a
disgrace? How could I keep the country wid a Neil"s blow, like the stamp
of a thief upon my forehead, an" me the first of my own faction, as your
brother is of his. No--never!'

'What"s the matter? Nobody here to meet you?' asked one of the men, on

whose hat were the words, 'Station Master
'What"s the matter? Nobody here to meet you?' asked one of the men, on
whose hat were the words, 'Station Master.'

'What, you here!' the grocer exclaimed, as he regained control of

himself
'What, you here!' the grocer exclaimed, as he regained control of
himself. 'I thought--that is, I was told--I mean, I heard that you had
been arrested, and I didn"t expect to see you again for some time; that
is--I mean not here in the store. If you had been sent to prison I
should, of course, have gone to see you.'

As the train stopped at one station after another, people kept getting

aboard, and soon the car in which Bob was riding was filled to its
capacity
As the train stopped at one station after another, people kept getting
aboard, and soon the car in which Bob was riding was filled to its
capacity.

This, indeed, was the severest trial that Lamh Laudher had yet

sustained
This, indeed, was the severest trial that Lamh Laudher had yet
sustained. With all the force of an affection as strong and tender as
it was enduring and disinterested, she urged him to relinquish his
determination to meet the Dead Boxer on the following day. John soothed
her, chid her, and even bantered her, as a cowardly girl, unworthy of
being the sister of Meehaul Neil, but to her, as well as to all others
who had attempted to change his purpose, he was immovable. No; the
sense of his disgrace had sunk too deep into his heart, and the random
allusions just made by Ellen herself to the Dead Boxer"s villainy, but
the more inflamed his resentment against him.

As the other trainmen agreed with the opinion of their conductor, Bob

made no further objection, contenting himself with the thought that he
could hardly be held responsible
As the other trainmen agreed with the opinion of their conductor, Bob
made no further objection, contenting himself with the thought that he
could hardly be held responsible.

The young man, who cared not for their company, had ridden on in

advance
The young man, who cared not for their company, had ridden on in
advance. The strange events of the morning gave him plenty of material
for reflection, and he longed to commune with himself. Accordingly,
when the others stopped at Edmonton, he quitted them, promising to halt
till they came up, before entering the precincts of the palace. If his
ride was not so agreeable as their"s, it at least enabled him to regain,
in some degree, his composure of mind, which had been greatly disturbed
by his abrupt parting with Aveline. Her image was constantly before him,
and refusing to be dismissed, connected itself with every object he
beheld. At first he despaired of meeting her again; but as he gradually
grew calmer, his hopes revived, and difficulties which seemed
insuperable began to disperse. By the time Dick Taverner and his
companions came up, he felt some disposition to talk, and Gillian"s
hearty merriment and high spirits helped to enliven him. Having
ascertained, from one of the royal keepers whom he had encountered, that
the King, with a large company, was out hawking on the banks of the New
River, which was cut through the park, and that he would in all
probability return through the great avenue to the palace, he proposed
that they should station themselves somewhere within it, in order to see
him pass. This arrangement pleased all parties, so proceeding slowly up
the avenue, they took up a position as described.

'That"s what,' confirmed the other

'That"s what,' confirmed the other. 'If there ever was an honest boy in
New York, that poor little chap back in the cell is one. If you take my
advice, sergeant, you will let him go, and you will change the entry on
your police book from "Arrested and Held for Complicity," to "Held for
Examination".'

'Don"t let that fellow worry you

'Don"t let that fellow worry you. I"ve known Len Dardus for years. He"s
as crooked as they make them, and he never had an honest man work for
him that I know of.'

'Question me not; but be satisfied I have acted for the best,' she

replied
'Question me not; but be satisfied I have acted for the best,' she
replied. 'O Jocelyn!' she continued anxiously, 'if an opportunity should
occur to you of serving my father, do not neglect it.'

'What folly is this, Sir Francis?' Sir Giles cried angrily

'What folly is this, Sir Francis?' Sir Giles cried angrily. 'You have
forgotten yourself strangely, you have taken leave of your senses,
methinks!'

On reaching the bottom of the Grassy Quarry, as it was called, she

peered under the little beetling cliff that overhung the well-known
ledge on which Lamh Laudher sat
On reaching the bottom of the Grassy Quarry, as it was called, she
peered under the little beetling cliff that overhung the well-known
ledge on which Lamh Laudher sat.

'Grace! grace! Sir Giles,' cried Madame Bonaventure

'Grace! grace! Sir Giles,' cried Madame Bonaventure. Then seeing him
remain inflexible, she added, in an altered tone, 'I will never submit
with life to such an indignity--never!'

Jocelyn was unable to reply, for a crowd now pressed forward on all

sides, completely surrounding the prisoner
Jocelyn was unable to reply, for a crowd now pressed forward on all
sides, completely surrounding the prisoner. Some of the nobles
threatened him with their swords, and the warders, who had come up from
the gateway, thrust at him with their partizans. Jocelyn had great
difficulty in shielding him from the infuriated throng.

'The prisoner!--gentlemen "prentices--do not forget him!' cried Cyprien,

who, with two other serving-men and the cook, had joined the assailing
party
'The prisoner!--gentlemen "prentices--do not forget him!' cried Cyprien,
who, with two other serving-men and the cook, had joined the assailing
party. 'Madame Bonaventure implores you to effect his rescue.'

'Ay, behind the orchard, where they often war afore

'Ay, behind the orchard, where they often war afore. Where there? Why,
if you want to know that, sittin" on one of the ledges in the Grassy
Quarry. That"s their sate whenever they meet; an" a snug one it is for
them that don"t like their neighbors" eyes to be upon them. Go now an"
satisfy yourself, but watch them at a distance, an", as you expect to
save your sister, don"t breathe the name of Nell M"Collum to a livin"
mortal.'

'I will not listen to such fearful impiety,' said the Countess,

shuddering
'I will not listen to such fearful impiety,' said the Countess,
shuddering. 'Let us dismiss this subject for the present, and recur to
it when you are calmer.'

'Sergeant, that"s the rawest thing I ever saw you do

'Sergeant, that"s the rawest thing I ever saw you do. I don"t believe
that boy knows anything more about those "con" men, and probably not as
much, as you do. It"s a shame to lock him up, and I am going to give you
the hottest roast for doing so that the paper will stand for.'

'I wonder what it means,' said the reporter to himself

'I wonder what it means,' said the reporter to himself. 'Perhaps Bob
didn"t come back, and the old man, repenting of his refusing to go to
his ward"s assistance, is on his way either to the police station or to
the court.'