Year: 1877

back or proceed, when he advanced
towards her, his eyes eagerly fxeC
on the bright gold chain she wOr,
around her neck.


What's o'clock, Miss? he asked IL
a hoarse voice.


| don't know, she answered timld
ly, l have no watch.


But you've a chain, though, and
you must let me have it.


And as bespoke the ruffian seized
her rudely by the arm, and put his
hand over her mouth, to stifle hel
screams, uttering the most tremen
dous threats if she did not keeI
quiet.


Luckily her cries had already
been heard; and before her assail.
ant had time to secure the glittering
prize, he received = violent blow on
the arm, that made him loose his
hold and decamp as soon as possible,
while the doughty champion sup,
ported the trembling girl, who, with
out his aid, must have fallen to the
ground.


Lean on me, he said, in a deep,
musical voice.


There is no further cause for
alarm. 1t was fortunate that l hap
pened to be so near.


1t was indeed. How shall ever
| thank YOU enough?


You need not thank me at all; but
you must let me see you safe home.
Is it far?


No, not far, and if you will be so
good as to go to the end of this
walk, l shall not be afraid to go on
by myself.


He drew her arm through his, and
she now had leisure to observe that
he was both young and handsome;
and Notwithstanding the plainness
of his dress, that he had the distin-
guished air of a gentlemen. There
was little in his outward appearance
to show his claim to that title, for
he wore a rough gray short coat, or
Jacket, with trowsers of the same,
and a coarse straw hat with a mar
row blue ribbon round it.


The color had now returned to her
face, and her soft blue eyes were
beaming with gratitude as she turn
ed towards the stranger, who thought
he had never seen such fascinating
creature in his life. 1t was not only
the beauty of her countenance,
though she was very lovely, but it
was the unaffected simplicity of
manner that won his admiration,
and made him resolve to follow up
this singular introduction.


When they reached the end of
the walk, she withdrew her arm
from his, and again thanking him
for his assistance, said she now felt
quite safe; but he would not hear
of leaving her thus unprotected, as
there was no certainty, he said, that
the robber might not be following
them.


Mrs Nays house was one of four
semi-detached cottages, each two
having a front lawn in common, but
separate gardens at the back, and
very pretty they looked in this
bright summer weather, resplendent
with roses, geraniums, and all the
gayest flowers of the season. Mrs
May was sitting at the window,
working, when she saw Ada coming
leaning on the arm of stranger;
and feeling sure that something ex-
traordinary must have happened,
threw down her work and hastened
to the garden gate to meet them.


Is anything the matter dear? she
asked. in breathless anxiety.
? Oh, yes, mammal have been so
terrified. If it had not been for
this gentleman, l should have been
robbed and perhaps murdered.


Robbed and murdered! Good
heavens, my dear child! when
how where?


In The green walk down by the
river. Such a dreadful man. He
tried to take my chain, and threat
ened to kill me if | made noise; but
L did cry out and this gentleman
came and drove him away.


The lady looked gratefully at the
handsome stranger, who said


l am very happy, madam to have
been the means of saving your
daughter from any worse injury
than the fright she has sustained;
and now that am satisfied that she
is in safety, will wish you a good
morning.


And he lifted his hat gracefully
as he spoke.


No, no, sir, you must not go yet.
Pray walk in and let me know all
about this terrible affair.


The young man did not want
second bidding, but with a pleasant
smile followed the ladies into the
house, where he stayed nearly two
hours, doing ample justice to the
homemade cake and wine and max
ing himself so extremely agreeable,
that he was cordially invited to call
whenever he happened to be in the
neighborhood. In course of conver-
sation he made known that his
name was Bennett-Claude Bennett
that he was an artist, and had
come to this part of the country
to make some drawings for Sir John
Caswell, with whom he was at pres
ent staying.


Sir John was well known patron
of the arts, and whose noble man.
sion, Radteigh Hall, was about
eight miles from Nottingham: but
as Mr.. Bennett was taking sketche3
of some of his pretty bits of seer
cry near the spot where Ada met
with her adventure, he said he
should be riding over every day for
the next fortnight and would GER
tainly avail himself of Mrs. Mays
kind permission to pay his respects
to her now and then.


CHAPTER II.


Ada had never been so happy in
her lie. 1t was as if a new world had
opened to her, where all was cOleur
de rose. True he was poor but what


A.o,oI .h,t9 Ho t.lI -. l., l..