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〃I　will　not　request　you　to　sit　down；〃　began　Mr。　Carlyle；　〃for　it　is　barely　a　moment　I　shall　detain　you。　The　more　I　think　about　this　man's　having　been　put　in　prison；　the　less　I　like　it；　and　I　have　been　considering　that　you　had　better　all　five；　come　and　smoke　your　pipes　at　my　house　this　evening；　when　we　shall　have　time　to　discuss　what　must　be　done。　Come　at　seven；　not　later；　and　you　will　find　my　father's　old　jar　replenished　with　the　best　broadcut；　and　half　a　dozen　churchwarden　pipes。　Shall　it　be　so？〃

The　whole　five　accepted　the　invitation　eagerly。　And　they　were　filing　out　when　Mr。　Carlyle　laid　his　finger　on　the　arm　of　Justice　Hare。

〃/You/　will　be　sure　to　come；　Hare；〃　he　whispered。　〃We　could　not　get　on　without　you；　all　heads；〃　with　a　slight　inclination　towards　those　going　out；　〃are　not　gifted　with　the　clear　good　sense　of　yours。〃

〃Sure　and　certain；〃　responded　the　gratified　justice；　〃fire　and　water　shouldn't　keep　me　away。〃

Soon　after　Mr。　Carlyle　was　left　alone　another　clerk　entered。

〃Miss　Carlyle　is　asking　to　see　you；　sir；　and　Colonel　Bethel's　come　again。〃

〃Send　in　Miss　Carlyle　first；〃　was　the　answer。　〃What　is　it；　Cornelia？〃

〃Ah！　You　may　well　ask　what？　Saying　this　morning　that　you　could　not　dine　at　six；　as　usual；　and　then　marching　off；　and　never　fixing　the　hour。　How　can　I　give　my　orders？〃

〃I　thought　business　would　have　called　me　out；　but　I　am　not　going　now。　We　will　dine　a　little　earlier；　though；　Cornelia；　say　a　quarter　before　six。　I　have　invited〃

〃What's　up；　Archibald？〃　interrupted　Miss　Carlyle。

〃Up！　Nothing　that　I　know　of。　I　am　very　busy；　Cornelia；　and　Colonel　Bethel　is　waiting；　I　will　talk　to　you　at　dinner…time。　I　have　invited　a　party　for　to…night。〃

〃A　party！〃　echoed　Miss　Carlyle。

〃Four　or　five　of　the　justices　are　coming　in　to　smoke　their　pipes。　You　must　put　out　your　father's　leaden　tobacco…box；　and〃

〃They　shan't　come！〃　screamed　Miss　Carlyle。　〃Do　you　think　I'll　be　poisoned　with　tobacco　smoke　from　a　dozen　pipes？〃

〃You　need　not　sit　in　the　room。〃

〃Nor　they　either。　Clean　curtains　are　just　put　up　throughout　the　house；　and　I'll　have　no　horrid　pipes　to　blacken　them。〃

〃I'll　buy　you　some　new　curtains；　Cornelia；　if　their　pipes　spoil　these；〃　he　quietly　replied。　〃And　now；　Cornelia；　I　really　must　beg　you　to　leave　me。〃

〃When　I　have　come　to　the　bottom　of　this　affair　with　Barbara　Hare；〃　resolutely　returned　Miss　Corny；　dropping　the　point　of　the　contest　as　to　the　pipes。　〃You　are　very　clever；　Archie；　but　you　can't　do　me。　I　asked　Barbara　what　she　came　here　for；　business　for　mamma；　touching　money　matters；　was　her　reply。　I　ask　you：　to　hear　your　opinion　about　the　scrape　the　bench　have　got　into；　is　yours。　Now；　it's　neither　one　nor　the　other；　and　I　tell　you；　Archibald；　I'll　hear　what　it　is。　I　should　like　to　know　what　you　and　Barbara　do　with　a　secret　between　you。〃

Mr。　Carlyle　knew　her　and　her　resolute　expression　well；　and　he　took　his　course；　to　tell　her　the　truth。　She　was；　to　borrow　the　words　Barbara　had　used　to　her　brother　with　regard　to　him；　true　as　steel。　Confide　to　Miss　Carlyle　a　secret；　and　she　was　trustworthy　and　impervious　as　he　could　be；　but　let　her　come　to　suspect　that　there　was　a　secret　which　was　being　kept　from　her；　and　she　would　set　to　work　like　a　ferret；　and　never　stop　until　it　was　unearthed。

Mr。　Carlyle　bent　forward　and　spoke　in　a　whisper。　〃I　will　tell　you；　if　you　wish；　Cornelia；　but　it　is　not　a　pleasant　thing　to　hear。　Richard　Hare　has　returned。〃

Miss　Carlyle　looked　perfectly　aghast。　〃Richard　Hare！　Is　he　mad？〃

〃It　is　not　a　very　sane　proceeding。　He　wants　money　from　his　mother；　and　Mrs。　Hare　sent　Barbara　to　ask　me　to　manage　it　for　her。　No　wonder　poor　Barbara　was　flurried　and　nervous；　for　there's　danger　on　all　sides。〃

〃Is　he　at　their　house？〃

〃How　could　he　be　there　and　his　father　in　it？　He　is　in　hiding　two　or　three　miles　off；　disguised　as　a　laborer；　and　will　be　at　the　grove　to…night　to　receive　this　money。　I　have　invited　the　justices　to　get　Mr。　Hare　safe　away　from　his　own　house。　If　he　saw　Richard；　he　would　undoubtedly　give　him　up　to　justice；　andputting　graver　considerations　asidethat　would　be　pleasant　for　neither　you　nor　for　me。　To　have　a　connection　gibbeted　for　a　willful　murder　would　be　an　ugly　blot　on　the　Carlyle　escutcheon；　Cornelia。〃

Miss　Carlyle　sat　in　silence　revolving　the　news；　a　contraction　on　her　ample　brow。

〃And　now　you　know　all；　Cornelia；　and　I　do　beg　you　to　leave　me；　for　I　am　overwhelmed　with　work　to…day。〃



CHAPTER　VI。

RICHARD　HARE；　THE　YOUNGER。

The　bench　of　justices　did　not　fail　to　keep　their　appointment；　at　seven　o'clock　they　arrived　at　Miss　Carlyle's；　one　following　closely　upon　the　heels　of　another。　The　reader　may　dissent　from　the　expression　〃Miss　Carlyle's；〃　but　it　is　the　correct　one；　for　the　house　was　hers；　not　her　brother's；　though　it　remained　his　home；　as　it　had　been　in　his　father's　time；　the　house　was　among　the　property　bequeathed　to　Miss　Carlyle。

Miss　Carlyle　chose　to　be　present　in　spite　of　the　pipes　and　the　smoke；　and　she　was　soon　as　deep　in　the　discussion　as　the　justices　were。　It　was　said　in　the　town；　that　she　was　as　good　a　lawyer　as　her　father　had　been；　she　undoubtedly　possessed　sound　judgment　in　legal　matters；　and　quick　penetration。　At　eight　o'clock　a　servant　entered　the　room　and　addressed　his　master。

〃Mr。　Dill　is　asking　to　see　you；　sir。〃

Mr。　Carlyle　rose；　and　came　back　with　an　open　note　in　his　hand。

〃I　am　sorry　to　find　that　I　must　leave　you　for　half　an　hour；　some　important　business　has　arisen；　but　I　will　be　back　as　soon　as　I　can。〃

〃Who　has　sent　for　you；〃　immediately　demanded　Miss　Corny。

He　gave　her　a　quiet　look　which　she　interpreted　into　a　warning　not　to　question。　〃Mr。　Dill　is　here；　and　will　join　you　to　talk　the　affair　over；〃　he　said　to　his　guests。　〃He　knows　the　law　better　than　I　do；　but　I　will　not　be　long。〃

He　quitted　his　house；　and　walked　with　a　rapid　step　toward　the　Grove。　The　moon　was　bright　as　on　the　previous　evening。　After　he　had　left　the　town　behind　him；　and　was　passing　the　scattered　villas　already　mentioned；　he　cast　an　involuntary　glance　at　the　wood；　which　rose　behind　them　on　his　left　hand。　It　was　called　Abbey　Wood；　from　the　circumstance　that　in　old　days　an　abbey　had　stood　in　its　vicinity；　all　traces　of　which；　save　tradition；　had　passed　away。　There　was　one　small　house；　or　cottage；　just　within　the　wood；　and　in　that　cottage　had　occurred　the　murder　for　which　Richard　Hare's　life　was　in　jeopardy。　It　was　no　longer　occupied；　for　nobody　would　rent　it　or　live　in　it。

Mr。　Carlyle　opened　the　gate　of　the　Grove；　and　glanced　at　the　trees　on　either　side　of　him；　but　he　neither　saw　nor　heard　any　signs　of　Richard's　being　concealed　there。　Barbara　was　at　the　window；　looking　out；　and　she　came　herself　and　opened　the　door　to　Mr。　Carlyle。

〃Mamma　is　in　the　most　excited　state；〃　she　whispered　to　him　as　he　entered。　〃I　knew　how　it　would　be。〃

〃Has　he　come　yet？〃

〃I　have　no　doubt　of　it；　but　he　has　made　no　signal。〃

Mrs。　Hare；　feverish　and　agitated；　with　a　burning　spot　on　her　delicate　cheeks；　stood　by　the　chair；　not　occupying　it。　Mr。　Carlyle　placed　a　pocket…book　in　her　hands。　〃I　have　brought　it　chiefly　in　notes；〃　he　said：　〃they　will　be　easier　for　him　to　carry　than　gold。〃

Mrs。　Hare　answered　only　by　a　look　of　gratitude；　and　clasped　Mr。　Carlyle's　hand　in　both　hers。　〃Archibald；　I　/must/　see　my　boy；　how　can　it　be　managed？　Must　I　go　into　the　garden　to　him；　or　may　he　come　in　here？〃

〃I　think　he　might　come　in；　you　know　how　bad　the　night　air　is　for　you。　Are　the　servants　astir　this　evening？〃

〃Things　seem　to　have　turned　out　quite　kindly；〃　spoke　up　Barbara。　〃It　happens　to　be　Anne's　birthday；　so　mamma　sent　me　just　now　into　the　kitchen　with　a　cake　and　a　bottle　of　wine；　desiring　them　to　drink　her　health。　I　shut　the　door　and　told　them　to　make　themselves　comfortable；　that　if　we　wanted　anything　we　would　ring。〃

〃Then　they　are　safe；〃　observed　Mr。　Carlyle；　〃and　Richard　may　come　in。〃

〃I　will　go　and　ascertain　whether　he　is　come；〃　said　Barbara。

〃Stay　where　you　are；　Barbara；　I　will　go　myself；〃　interposed　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃Have　the　door　open　when　you　see　us　coming　up　the　path。〃

Barbara　gave　a　faint　cry；　and；　trembling；　clutched　the　arm　of　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃There　he　is！　See！　Standing　out　from　the　trees；　just　opposite　this　window。〃

Mr。　Carlyle　turned　to　Mrs。　Hare。　〃I　shall　not　bring　him　in　immediately；　for　if　I　am　to　have　an　interview　with　him；　it　must　be　got　over　first；　that　I　may　go　back　home　to　the　justices；　and　keep　Mr。　Hare　all　safe。〃

He　proceeded　on　his　way；　gained　the　trees；　and　plunged　into　them；　and；　leaning　against　one；　stood　Richard　Hare。　Apart　from　his　disguise；　and　the　false　and　fierce　black　whiskers；　he　was　a　blue…eyed；　fair；　pleasant…looking　young　man；　slight；　and　of　middle　height；　and　quite　as　yielding　and　gentle　as　his　mother。　In　her；　this　mild　yieldingness　of　disposition　was　rather　a　graceful　quality；　in　Richard　it　was　regarded　as　a　contemptible　misfortune。　In　his　boyhood　he　had　been　nicknamed　Leafy　Dick；　and　when　a　stranger　inquired　why；　the　answer　was　that；　as　a　leaf　was　swayed　by　the　wind；　so　he　was　swayed　by　everybody　about　him；　never　possessing　a　will　of　his　own。　In　short；　Richard　Hare；　though　of　an　amiable　and　loving　nature；　was　not　over…burdened　with　what　the　world　calls　brains。　Brains　he　certainly　had；　but　they　were　not　s