clergyman. "And what sort of person is this companion of her's?" "Why, decent enow, an' it like your Reverence," said Stubbs; for aught I sees of her, there's no harm of her, and she says she has cash enow to carry her out of the county." "Čash? that is always what you think of Stubbs-But, has she sense?-has she her wits?-has she the capacity of taking care of herself?" "Why, your Reverence," replied Stubbs, "I cannot just say I will be sworn she was not born at Witt-ham;* for Gaffer Gibbs looked at her all the time of sarvice, and he says she could not turn up a single lesson like a Christian, even though she had Madge Murdocksen to help her. But then, as to fending for hersell, why, she's a bit of a Scotchwoman, your Reverence, and they say the worst donnot of them can look out for their own turn-and she is decently put on enow, and not bechouached like t'other." "Send her in here then, and do you remain below, Mr Stubbs.' This colloquy had engaged Jeanie's attention so deeply, that it was not until it was over that she observed that he sashed door, which, we have said, led from the anti-room into the garden, was opened, and that there entered, or rather was borne in by two assistants, a young man, of a very pale and sickly appearance, whom they lifted to the nearest couch, and placed there, as if to recover from the fatigue of an unusual exertion. Just as they were making this arrangement, Stubbs came out of the library, and summoned Jeanie to enter it. She obeyed him not without tremor, for besides the novelty of the situation to a girl of her secluded habits, she felt also as if the successful prosecution of her journey was to depend upon the impression she should be able to make on Mr Staunton. It is true, it was difficult to suppose on what pretext a * A proverbial and punning expression in that county, to ex press that a person is not very witty. person travelling on her own business, and at her own charge, could be interrupted upon her route. But the violent detention she had already undergone was sufficient to show that there existed persons at no great distance who had the interest, the inclination, and the audacity forcibly to stop her journey, and she felt the necessity of having some countenance and protection, at least till she should get beyond their reach. While these things passed through her mind, much faster than our pen and ink can record, or even the reader's eye collect the meaning of its traces, Jeanie found herself in a handsome library, and in presence of the Rector of Willingham. The well furnished presses and shelves which surrounded the large and handsome apartment, contained more books than Jeanie imagined existed in the world, being accustomed to consider as an extensive collection two fir shelves, each about three feet long, which contained her father's treasured volumes, the whole pith and marrow, as he used sometimes to boast, of modern divinity. An orrery, globes, a telescope, and some other scientific implements, conveyed to Jeanie an impression of admiration and wonder not unmixed with fear; for, in her ignorant apprehension, they seemed rather adapted for magical purposes than any other; and a few stuffed animals (as the Rector was fond of natural history) added to the impressive character of the apartment. He Mr Staunton spoke to her with great mildness. observed, that although her appearance at church had been uncommon, in strange, and, he must add, in discreditable society, and calculated, upon the whole, to disturb the congregation during divine worship, he wished, nevertheless, to hear her own account of herself before taking any steps which his duty might seem to demand. He was a justice of peace, he informed her, as well as a clergyman. "His honour" (for she would not say his reverence) "was very civil and kind," was all that poor Jeanie could at first bring out. "Who are you, young woman?" said the clergyman, more peremptorily—" and what do you do in this country, and in such company?-We allow no strollers or vagrants here." "I am not a vagrant, or a stroller, sir," said Jeanie, a little roused by the supposition. "I am a decent Scots lass, travelling through the land on my own business and my own expences; and I was so unhappy as to fall in with bad company, and was stopped a' night on my journey. And this puir creature, who is something light-headed, let me out in the morning." "Bad company!" said the clergyman. "I am afraid, young woman, you have not been sufficiently anxious to avoid them." "Indeed, sir," returned Jeanie, "I have been brought up to shun evil communication. But these wicked people were thieves, and stopped me by violence and mastery." "Thieves!" said Mr Staunton; "then you charge them with robbery, I suppose?" "No, sir; they did not take so much as a bodle from me," answered Jeanie; "nor did they use me ill, otherwise than by confining me." The clergyman enquired into the particulars of her adventure, which she told him from point to point. "This is an extraordinary, and not a very probable tale, young woman," resumed Mr Staunton. "Here has been, according to your account, a great violence committed, without any adequate motive. Are you aware of the law of this country-that if you lodge this charge, you will be bound over to prosecute this gang?" Jeanie did not understand him, and he explained that the English law, in addition to the inconvenience sustained by persons who have been robbed or injured, has the goodness to entrust to them the care and the expence of appearing as prosecutors. Jeanie said, "that her business at London was express; all she wanted was, that any gentleman would, out of Christian charity, protect her to some town where she could hire horses and a guide; and, finally," she thought, "it would be her father's mind that she was not free to give testimony in an English court of justice, as the land was not under a direct gospel dispensation." Mr Staunton stared a little, and asked if her father was a Quaker. "God forbid, sir," said Jeanie-"He is nae schismatic nor sectary, nor ever treated for sic black commodities as their's, and that's weel kenn'd o' him." "And what is his name, pray?" said Mr Staunton. "David Deans, sir, the cow-feeder at St Leonard's Crags, near Edinburgh." A deep groan from the anti-room prevented the rector from replying, and, exclaiming, "Good God! that unhappy boy," he left Jeanie alone, and hastened into the outer apartment. Some noise and bustle was heard, but no one entered the library for the best part of an hour. CHAPTER VIII. Fantastic passions! maddening brawl! COLERIDGE. DURING the interval while she was thus left alone, Jeanie anxiously revolved in her mind what course was best for her to pursue. She was impatient to continue her journey, yet she feared she could not safely adventure to do so while the old hag and her assistants were in the neighbourhod, without risking a repetition of their violence. She thought she could collect from the conversation which she had partly overheard, and also from the wild confessions of Madge Wildfire, that her mother had a deep and revengeful motive for obstructing her journey if possible. And from whom could she hope for assistance if not from Mr Staunton? His whole appearance and demeanour seemed to encourage her hopes. His features were handsome, though marked with a deep cast of melancholy; his tone and language were gentle and encouraging; and, as he had served in the army for several years during his youth, his air retained that easy frankness which is peculiar to the profession of arms. He was besides a minister of the gospel; and although a worshipper, according to Jeanie's notions, in the Court of the Gentiles, and so benighted as to wear a surplice, although he read the Common Prayer, and wrote down every word of his sermon before delivering it; and though he was, moreover, in strength of lungs, as well as pith and marrow of doctrine, vastly inferior to Boanerges |