The Last Of The Barons, Volume 10.

arly the next morning he was on his road to the f

or! The strong and the virtuous admit no destiny! On earth guides conscience, in heaven watc

business, to accomplish the last poor duty now left to him to fulfil,-to confront the maid whose heart he

that he met not the bounding step of the welcoming Sibyll. He sat down in the humble chamber, and waited a while in patience,-no voice was heard. The silence at length surprised and alarmed him. He proceeded farther. He was met by the widowed owner

received the message from the stranger, went herself to the cottage, and found that the story was a fable. Every search had since been made for Adam and his daughter, but in vain. The widow, confirmed in her previous belief that her lodgers had been attainted Lancastrians, could but suppose that they had been thus betrayed to their enemies. Hastings heard this with a dismay and remorse impossible to express. His only conjecture was that the king had discovered their retreat, and taken this measure to break off the intercourse he had s

ood before several heaps of gold, ranged upon a table in the recess of the room. "See," he whispered, "yonder is the go

rd's still greater surprise, had advanced from his place, and forgetting

is this? Sibyll!-methought she wa

is witch child? And is it, Sir Peer and Sir Goldsmith, in your king's closet that ye come, the ve

t: "Sire, if poor William Hastings has ever merited from the king one kindly thought, one generous word, forgive now whatever may displease thee in his pass

ss, whom I swear by Saint George I do not envy thee in the least? If that does not suffice, incredulous dullard, why then take my kingly word, never before passed for so slight an occasion, that I know nothing whatsoever of thy damsel's

liege," sa

gan the g

ch! We have condescended to answer the

bring you the gold to pay th

and then burst into

ff with the cock- crow; but, since ye seem to understand each other, he shall make thee his lieutenant of search, and I

y, my lord," said Alwyn, as

ddenly alighted near, at least, to the clew. "The Duchess of Bedford," said he, "ever increasing in superstition as danger increases, may have desired to refind so great a scholar and reputed an astrologer and magician; if so, all is safe. On the other hand, her favourite, the friar, ever bore a jealous grudge to poor Adam, and may have sought to abstract him from her grace's search; here there may be molestation to Adam, but surely no danger to Sibyll. Hark ye, Alwyn, thou lovest the maid more worthily, and-" Hastings stopped short; for such is infirm human nature, that, th

e, but never make it! I will find this poor maid and her honoured father, if I spend my last groat on the search. Get me bu

as his wont, the keys of his mysterious apartment. Alwyn then hastened elsewhere, to secure those experienced in such a search, and to head it in person. At the Tower, the evening was passed in bustle and excitement,-the last preparations for departure. The queen, who was then far advanced towards her confinement, was, as we before s