But noting and respecting her anxiety for her brother, he curbed his natural amusement.
"It is a judgment upon you," said he, nevertheless.
"Do you exult ?" she asked indignantly.
"No; but I cannot repress my admiration for the ways of Divine Justice.
If you are come to me for advice, I can but suggest that you should follow your brother's captors to Taunton, and inform the lieutenants of how the letter came into your power." She looked at him in anger almost at what seemed a callousness.

"Would he believe me, think you ?" "Belike he would not," said Mr.Wilding.

"You can but try." "If I told them it was addressed to you," she said, eyeing him sternly, "does it not occur to you that they would send for you to question you, and that if they did so, as you are a gentleman you could not lie away my brother's life." "Why, yes," said he quite calmly, "it does occur to me.

But does it not occur to you that by the time they came here they would find me gone ?" He laughed at her dismay.

"I thank you, madam, for this warning," he added.