Part 43 (1/2)

The act was friendly, the tone surly. Coventry accepted the act, and noted the tone in his memory.

When Grace had done this, she saw Henry misunderstood it, and she was sorry, and waited an opportunity to restore the balance; but, ere one came, a bell was heard in the air; the great alarm-bell of Raby Hall.

Then faint voices were heard of people calling to each other here and there in the distance.

”What is it?” asked Grace.

Henry replied, ”What should it be? The whole country is out after you.

Mr Raby has sense enough for that.”

”Oh, I hope they will not see the light in the church, and find you out.”

”You are very good to think of that. Ah! There's a bonfire: and here comes a torch. I must go and quench my fires. Good-by, Miss Carden.

Good-evening, sir.”

With this, he retired: but, as he went, he sighed.

Grace said to Coventry, ”Oh, I forgot to ask him a question;” and ran after him. ”Mr. Little!”

He heard and came back to her.

She was violently agitated. ”I can't leave you so,” she said. ”Give me your hand.”

He gave it to her.

”I mortified you; and you have saved me.” She took his hand, and, holding it gently in both her little palms, sobbed out,--”Oh, think of something I can do, to show my grat.i.tude, my esteem. Pray, pray, pray.”

”Wait two years for me.”

”Oh, not that. I don't mean that.”

”That or nothing. In two years, I'll be as good a gentleman as HE is.

I'm not risking my life in that church, for nothing. If you have one grain of pity or esteem for me, wait two years.”

”Incurable!” she murmured: but he was gone.

Coventry heard the prayer. That was loud and earnest enough. Her reply he could not bear.

She rejoined him, and the torch came rapidly forward.

It was carried by a la.s.s, with her gown pinned nearly to her knees, and displaying grand and powerful limbs; she was crying, like the tenderest woman, and striding through the snow, like a young giant.

When the snow first came down, Mr. Raby merely ordered large fires to be lighted and fed in his guests' bedrooms; he feared nothing worse for them than a good wetting.

When dinner-time came, without them, he began to be anxious, and sent a servant to the little public-house, to inquire if they were there.

The servant had to walk through the snow, and had been gone about an hour, and Mr. Raby was walking nervously up and down the hall, when Jael Dence burst in at the front door, as white as a sheet, and gasped out in his face: ”THE GABRIEL HOUNDS!!”

Raby ran out directly, and sure enough, that strange pack were pa.s.sing in full cry over the very house. It was appalling. He was dumb with awe for a moment. Then he darted into the kitchen and ordered them to ring the great alarm-bell incessantly; then into the yard, and sent messengers to the village, and to all his tenants, and in about an hour there were fifty torches, and as many sheep-bells, directed upon Cairnhope hill; and, as men and boys came in from every quarter, to know why Raby's great alarm-bell was ringing, they were armed with torches and sent up Cairnhope.