The Rangers

ong upon the s

ad considerably advanced, that any indications of the events which followed became observable in the streets of Westminster. About this time, one of the doors of Crean Brush's guest-filled mansion suddenly flew

laimed the enraged master, standing in the door-way, and looking down with ineffable scorn upon the prostrate person o

quire?" responded the latter, looking back over h

of eight o'clock this morning! and now, to crown all, in clearing off the table, you must go, with your load of meats and half-filled gravy dishes, through the parlor, where you had no business to

to this tirade-"you want to accuse, and drive me away, so you won't

h that lie in your mouth, I'll give you all you ask; and there they are!" he continued, pulling out and disdainfully tossing the coins down at t

own up, and a pair of shoes, a pair of old summer pantaloons, a spare coarse shirt, and pair of stockings, were successively flung down into the yard, nea

e got your pay, too, jest in the way you calculated would fetch it; yes, all your honest pay, and one crown more; but you charged that, you know, when you told him two crowns, as damage for the kick and cane

k to the house, where several curious, half-laughing, half-pitying countenances were seen peering through the windows to witness his departure. He then looked hesitatingly abroad, one way and then the other, with the sad and despairing air of one who feels there is no place in the wide w

rather close together in spots, round that tory nest over yonder. They act as if they were in a sort of stew about something. I wonder if they lost their guns last night, or anything, that puts them in such a pucker," he contin

n, appeared to be communicating to the crowd something that obviously produced considerable sensation. This person was a man of the ordinary size, of fair complexion, light eyes, and an unsettled and vacillating countenance, rendered the more

ve been before them in taking possession of the house, even with the force we had on the ground. But, thinking it best to go strong-handed, the judges concluded they would not go in to open the court till enough of friends should arrive to put down all opposition at a blow. The rebels think now, doubtless, that they have got an advantage which they will be able to maintain. But they will find themselves a

out our guns at once?"

ave no arms, and a few axes and crowbars for breaking into the Court House, if that should be necessary. But, as I said, let the guns remain hid in the sleighs till you have orders to take them out. For it is not exactly settled yet whether we shall march upon them as soon as our reenforcements arri

pany he had collected, and work up their feelings to such a pitch of enmity and recklessness as should prepare them to imbrue their hands in

making their arrangements for active movements, left the house, and, with hasty steps, took their way to the mansion of the haughty secretary, which, by h

use to make one of his smooth speeches, and play Sir Plausible with the rebel rascals, as agreed on last night, and though he should have done it be

ued, now made his appearance in the street. He wore a powdered wig, according to the fashion of the times among men of his official station, and his whole toilet had evidently been made with much attention. Carelessly flirting a light cane in his hand, and assuming an air of easy unconcern, he leisurely took his way along the street, towards the Court Ho

young man introduced in the last chapter, who, with the same restless, anxious look

checking his speed, and looking back, with

eedom, sir, but the great interest I take in the success of our enterprising and intelligent young men like you

ess, his quick and wary eye caught sight of the gentleman thus addressed coming up behind him. "Most happy to fall in with you, colonel," he continued,

ed Carpenter, with

lation-that of Friend of the People,

risis, I think, sir," responded the

d be the one I have named. What can be a more truly honorable distinction? I have often regretted being so trammelled by my station on the bench, as t

act secretly on all sides," returned

ctly unsuspicious of any intended personalities. "Yes, indeed. But, ah!" he continued, slightly motion

turning from the other into the Court House yard, but soon pausing a little, thoug

ld have been pleased to have dropped in. I came

k, while his now unguarded countenance very plainly showed the disquiet he felt at the rebuffs he had received in his attempts to conciliate

rty, as every thing now seemed to indicate, his attention was again arrested by the sounds of approaching footsteps; and, looking up, his eyes enco

the occasion; "right glad to meet you, sir. I have been thinking I must engage some such expert and lucky sportsman, as they say you are, to catch a

her slippery varments," returned the hunter, with a sly, significant twinkling of his

on facing about, began, with a quickened step and a look of

ry, which was all occupied as such, except the east and south corners, that had been partitioned off for sleeping apartments. In the lower story, there was a wide passage running through the middle of the building, with doors at both ends; while the stairs leading up into the court room faced the principal entrance, on the north-east side of the house. After passing by the stairs, there was a small passage leading from t

efore, that the court should be permitted to come together; when such representations and arguments were to be laid before them, as could not fail, it was supposed, to convince any reasonable men of the wisdom of listening to the voice of the people. But when, or, the preceding evening, it was discovered, in the way before related, and from other sources, that the people had been duped by the duplicity of Chandler, and that it was the secr

e greatest commotion; and that under the direction of Patterson and Gale, both foaming with rage, they had hastily collected all the offensive implements they could find, with the avowed determination of making an immediate assault on their opponents at the Court House. But notwithstanding this startling intelligence, no one manifested the least disposition of quitting his post. And although there was not a weapon of defence, beyond a cane, in the whole company, yet they seemed none the less inclined to maintain their position in consequence of the threatening aspect which the affair was beginning to assume; but resolving, by acclamation, to keep possession of the house till compelled by force of arms to relinquish it,

proclamation, as it was usually called, as, with several others, he stood just within the entrance. "

ncluded his task. "There, you d--d rascals, now dis

h, mayhap, for a bag of wind to blow, if it does any thing. He is rather smart at-der-swearing, too, I think. But even at that, I guess he wou

down from the court-room, opened the door, (Dunning and another strong-armed

and say, also, above all, that we have come together with the approbation of the chief judge of your court, who has promised us a fair hearing of our grievances; and so long as, in direct violation of that judge's pledge to u

-d rascals as you are! I will hold no parley with such d--d rascals, but by

: "talk about being here without arms, and for peace, do ye? when you have stolen a dozen of our guns, and have now got them in

y the last speaker; when he was interrupted by

the idea of a dozen guns among us will mike 'em more manne

ter Wright now retired within doors, followed by the hisses,

t present, they soon drew off a short distance, and apparently held a consultation. While they were thus occupied, a small deputation was sent out to them from the Court House, with another offer to hold a conference. But their proposals being received with fresh insults and abuse, they returned to the house, while Patterson

he at once ascended into the court-room, and entered the somewhat surprised, but unmoved assembly, bowing low to individuals on the right and left, as he passe

ude for the welfare of the people, and his anxiety that they should do nothing to injure their cause. After he was seated, Wright, Carpenter, and Knowlton, each in turn, addressed him, stating, in general t

said he was proud to believe he might safely call them, that he would go and immediately secure the arms in question; so that the company might now retire, in full confidence that their petitions would obtain a fair hearing, when the court came together the next mo

ngue that's sm

ce was the only resp

n, at length breaking the ominous silence. "Have you

l, sinewy form, and sharp, bronzed features, screwed up with an expr

remain here to-night; and as we have now learned that the judge and the people here are the-ditter-best of friends, I would just move, Mr. Moderator, that his honor be-der-ditter-invited to take up

part last night taken by the double-dealing judge, who now sat before them, looking, for the moment, like a suddenly detected criminal. He, however, while the chairman was calling to order, recovered his command of coun

aughing at the idea of one of our in-door and tender professional men, like myself, sleeping on floors and benches. I am afraid we deserve it for our effeminacy. Yes, yes, a go

proceeded, as if nothing but an ordinary interruption had occurred, to the business on which they were engaged when the judge came in-that of passing some fresh resolves expressive of their determination to hold the Court House in defiance of the threats of their opponents, and of their now settled purpose of no longer s

on every side around him, and especially in the bitter derisive laugh that had assailed his tingling ears. He had also been taught a new lesson in the interview! He had seen, in the firm manner and determined looks of those he had been confronting-he had seen that which told him of a spirit at work among the people, that the loyal party, with all their boasted strength, might not long be able to quell. He began now, with the instinctive sagacity of the true office-seeker, to perceive the possibility, perhaps probability, that the power of dispensing office and patronage was about to change hands, and he inwardly trembled for his own safety. He found himself, in short, in one of those straits, to which men of his character are not unfrequently reduced-that of being wholly

nd that "a forgotten business engagement had compelled him to be absent from their councils for a few hours," he took his way to a distant part of the village, where he called on an acquaintance of neutral politics. And her

e evening, they were on the point of giving up all thoughts of renewing the attack that night, when the long and anxiously looked for reenforcement, consisting of thirty or forty armed men, came hurrying on to the ground. The sinking spirits and waning courage of the blustering sheriff and his confederates now instantly revived; and, exulting that they now had the power

were now in but little expectation of being any further molested till the next morning. And some were lying stretched upon the benches in the court-room, asleep; some, with their

, were Woodburn and Bart, who, with each a stout cane or cud

e the noise which they had heard at a distance, now came running up, with an excited air to h

up towards the Court House the next instant confirmed the other's statement-"in w

announcement to French, who was restlessly moving about in the passage, and who r

nge, wild glee. "Ay, there they come! I see them levelling t

assage just over his head, cut short the speaker. A moment of breathless silen

why don't

, in every direction, instantly followed the ferocious order. And, in the expiring light, the fated French was seen to leap into the air; and then, spinning giddily round and round an inst

fter knocking up the swords and bayonets that were aimed at his breast, laid about him so lustily with his cudgel, that the whole party were, for some moments, kept at bay. At length, however, Peters, who was near the rear of the hostile column, perceiving it wa

-d rebel,

nner side of his arm, now, with an upward sweep of his cudgel, knocked the sword of the detestable assassin twenty feet into the

soon disarmed, and, in spite of his desperate struggles, borne into the court-house with the crowd, who now rushed furiously along the pas

on't let another of the d--d rascals escape! And, hallo there, jailer! bring on the keys of the prison-rooms; we will cage the whole lot, dead or

eys and the doors of both prison-rooms were speedily un

esumed the sheriff, with look

isabled by their wounds to stand, together into the prison-rooms. They then seized hold of the wounded, who lay weltering in thei

d mimicking, with fiendish glee, the groans and contortions of French, as he lay gasping and writhing in mortal agony on the sp

just what he deserved; and I wish there were forty more of you in the

he rest of them, they had better be saving their pity for the

thrown promiscuously together, on the cold, damp floors of the prison-rooms, the keys were turned upon them; and their remorseless butchers, making not the least provision for the su