Do I not make myself plain ?" "No, no; do not talk that way; pray do not." "But you must promise, sweet maid, to wed me.

I adore you." At this the scoundrel caught her hand, and Rebecca uttered a scream of terror.

Her brother waited to hear no more, but leaped boldly into the room and, seizing Mr.Giles Peram by the collar of his coat and the waistband of his costly knee-breeches, held him at arm's length, and began applying first one and then another pedal extremity to his anatomy.
Mr.Peram squirmed and howled: "Oh, dear! Oh, let me go! This is very extraordinary!" his small eyes growing dim and his fat cheeks pale.
"You knave! How dare you thus annoy my sister ?" cried Robert, still kicking the rascal.

At last he led him to the door and flung him down the front steps, where he fell in a heap on the ground with such force, that one might have thought his neck was broken.

Robert turned to his sister and asked: "Where is mother ?" "She hath gone with her husband to Greensprings." "And left you alone ?" "It was thought you would come." Robert Stevens felt guilty of neglect in lingering too long in the company of men whom Berkeley would regard as conspirators; but he immediately excused himself on the ground that he had had no knowledge of the intended departure of his mother, or that his sister would be left alone.
"Have you suffered annoyances from him before ?" "Yes." "Does mother know of it ?" "She does." "And makes no effort to protect you ?" [Illustration: HE FLUNG HIM DOWN THE FRONT STEPS, WHERE HE FELL IN A HEAP ON THE GROUND.] "She does all she can; but--but Mr.Price sanctions the marriage." "I think I understand why you were left," said Robert, bitterly; "but I will protect you, never fear.