he said,

your husband's will in quietness you shall, « see but little of me. I will leave you undisturbed to the care of the usher whom your good taste prefers.

>>

My husband's will!» she exclaimed. « But it is the will of God, and let that be sufficient to me. I will go with Master Foster as unresistingly as ever did a literal sacrifice. He is a father at least; and will have decency, if not humanity. For thee, Varney, were it my latest word, thou art an equal stranger to both. »

Varney replied only, she was at liberty to chuse, and walked some paces before them to shew the way; while, half leaning on Foster, and half carried by him, the Countess was transported from Saintlowe's Tower to the posterngate, where Tider waited with the litter and horses.

The Countess was placed in the former without resistance. She saw with some satisfaction, that while Foster and Tider rode close by the litter, which the latter conducted, the dreaded Varney lingered behind, and was soon lost in darkness. A little while she strove, as the road winded round the verge of the lake, to keep sight of those stately towers which called her husband lord, and which still, in some places, sparkled with lights, where wassailers were yet revelling. But when the direction of the road rendered this no longer possible, she drew back her head, and, sinking down in the litter, recommended herself to the care of Providence.

Besides the desire of inducing the Countess to proceed quietly on her journey, Varney had it also in view to have an interview with Lambourne, by whom he every moment expected to be joined, without the presence of any witnesses. He knew the character of this man, prompt, bloody, resolute, and greedy, and judged him the most fit agent he could employ in his farther designs. But ten miles of their journey had been measured ere he heard the hasty clatter of horse's hoofs behind him, and was overtaken by Michael Lambourne.

Fretted as he was with his absence, Varney received his profligate servant with a rebuke of unusual bitterness. «Drunken villain,» he said, <<thy idleness and debauched folly will stretch a halter ere it be long; and, for me, I care not how soon. »

This style of objurgation, Lambourne, who was elated to an unusual degree, not only by an extraordinary cup of wine, but by the sort of confidential interview he had just had with the Earl, and the secret of which he had made himself master, did not receive with his wonted humility. << He would take no insolence of language, he said, « from the best knight that ever wore spurs. Lord Leicester had detained him on some business of import, and that was enough. for Varney, who was but a servant like himself. »

Varney was not a little surprised at his unusual tone of insolence; but, ascribing it to liquor, suffered it to pass as if unnoticed, and then

began to tamper with Lambourne, touching his willingness to aid in removing out of the Earl of Leicester's way an obstacle to a rise, which would put it in his power to reward his trusty followers to their utmost wish. And upon Michael Lambourne's seeming ignorant what was meant, he plainly indicated «the litter-load, yonder,» as the impediment which he desired should be removed.

<< Look you, Sir Richard, and so forth,» said Michael, « some are wiser than some, that is one thing, and some are worse than some, that's another. I know my lord's mind on this matter better than thou, for he hath trusted me fully in the matter. Here are his mandates, and his last words were, Michael Lambourne,—for his lordship speaks to me as a gentleman of the sword, and useth not the words drunken villain, or such like phrases, of those who know not how to bear new dignities. Varney, says he, must pay utmost respect to my Countess

the

I trust to you for looking to it, Lambourne, says his lordship, and you must bring back my signet from him peremptorily. >>

« Ay,» replied Varney, « said he so, indeed? You know all, then?»>

« All — all - and

you were as wise as make a friend of me while the weather is fair betwixt us. << And was there no one present,» said Varney, << when my lord so spoke ? »

«Not a breathing creature, replied Lambourne. <<Think you my lord would trust any

one with such matters, save an approved man of action like myself? »

Most true," said Varney; and, making a pause, he looked forward on the moonlight road. They were traversing a wide and open heath. The litter being at least a mile before them, was both out of sight and hearing. He looked behind, and there was an expanse, lighted by the moonbeams, without one human being in sight. He resumed his speech to Lambourne: » And will you turn upon your master, who has introduced you to this career of court-like favour -whose apprentice you have been, Michaelwho has taught you the depths and shallows of court intrigue?

>>

Michael not me,» said Lambourne, «I have a name will brook a master before it as well as another; and as to the rest, if I have been an apprentice, my indenture is out, and I am resolute to set up for myself. »

<< Take thy quittance first, thou fool!» said Varney; and with a pistol, which he had for some time held in his hand, shot Lambourne through the body.

The wretch fell from his horse, without a single groan; and Varney, dismounting, rifled his pockets, turning out the lining, that it might appear he had fallen by robbers. He secured the Earl's packet, which was his chief object, but he also took Lambourne's purse, containing some gold pieces, the reliques of what his debauchery had left him, and, from a singular com

bination of feelings, carried it in his hand only the length of a small river, which crossed the road, into which he threw it as far as he could fling. Such are the strange remnants of conscience which remain after she seems totally subdued, that this cruel and remorseless man would have felt himself degraded had he pocketed the few pieces belonging to the wretch whom he had thus ruthlessly slain.

The murderer reloaded his pistol, after cleansing the lock and barrel from the appearances of late explosion, and rode calmly after the litter, satisfying himself that he had so adroitly removed a troublesome witness to many of his intrigues, and the bearer of mandates which he had no intentions to obey, and which, therefore, he was desirous it should be thought had never reached his hand.

The remainder of the journey was made with a degree of speed, which shewed the little care they had for the health of the unhappy Countess. They paused only at places where all was under their command, and where the tale of the insane Lady Varney would have obtained ready credit, had she made any attempt to appeal to the compassion of the few persons admitted to see her. But Amy saw no chance of obtaining a hearing from any to whom she had an opportunity of addressing herself, and besides, was too terrified for the presence of Varney to violate the implied condition, under