cried the Duke of Shoreditch.

"You have all heard him call the king a tyrant. Seize him, my masters."

"Let them lay hands upon me, if they dare!" cried the butcher, resolutely. "I have felled an ox with a blow of my fist before this, and I promise you I will shew them no better treatment."

Awed by Mark's determined manner, the bystanders kept aloof.

"I command you, in the king's name, to seize him!" roared Shoreditch. "If he offers resistance, he will assuredly be hanged." "No one shall touch me !" cried Mark, fiercely.

"That remains to be seen," said the foremost of the Earl of Surrey's attendants. "Yield, fellow !"

"Never!" replied Mark; "and I warn you to keep off."

The attendant, however, advanced; but before he could lay hands on the butcher, he received a blow from his ox-like fist that *sent him reeling backwards for several paces, and finally stretched him at full length upon the ground. His companions drew their swords, and would have instantly fallen upon the sturdy offender, if Morgan Fenwolf, who, with the Earl of Surrey, was standing among the spectators, had not rushed forward, and closing with Mark before the latter could strike a blow, grappled with him, and held him fast till he was secured, and his arms tied behind him.

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"And so it is you, Morgan Fenwolf, who have served me this ill turn, eh?" cried the butcher, regarding him fiercely. believe all I have heard of you.'

"I now "What have you heard of him ?" asked Surrey, advancing. "That he has dealings with the fiend,-with Herne the hunter," replied Mark. "If I am hanged for a traitor, he ought to be

burnt for a wizard." "Heed not what the villain says, my good fellow," said the Duke of Shoreditch; "you have captured him bravely, and I will take care your conduct is duly reported to his majesty. To the castle with him! To the castle! He will lodge to-night in the deepest dungeon of yon fortification," pointing to the Curfew Tower above them, "there to await the king's judgment; and to-morrow night it will be well for him if he is not swinging from the gibbet near the bridge. Bring him along !"

And followed by Morgan Fenwolf and the others, with the prisoner, he strode up the hill.

Long before this, Captain Bouchier had issued from the hostel, and joined the earl, and they walked together after the crowd. In a few minutes, the Duke of Shoreditch reached Henry the Eighth's Gate, where he shouted to a sentinel, and told him what had occurred. After some delay, a wicket in the gate was opened, and the chief persons of the party were allowed to pass through it, with the prisoner, who was assigned to the custody of a couple of arquebusiers.

By this time, an officer had arrived, and it was agreed, at the suggestion of the Duke of Shoreditch, to take the offender to the Curfew Tower. Accordingly, they crossed the lower ward, and passing beneath an archway near the semicircular range of habitations allotted to the petty canons, traversed the space before the west end of Saint George's Chapel, and descending a short flight of stone steps at the left, and threading a narrow passage, presently arrived at the arched entrance in the Curfew Tower, whose hoary walls shone brightly in the moonlight.

They had to knock for some time against the stout oak door, before any notice was taken of the summons. At length, an old man, who acted as bellringer, thrust his head out of one of the narrow pointed windows above, and demanded their business. Satisfied with the reply, he descended, and opening the door, admitted them into a lofty chamber, the roof of which was composed of stout planks, crossed by heavy oaken rafters, and supported by beams of the same material. On the left, a steep, ladder-like flight of wooden steps led to an upper room; and from a hole in

the roof, descended a bell-rope, which was fastened to one of the beams, shewing the use to which the chamber was put.

Some further consultation was now held among the party as to the propriety of leaving the prisoner in this chamber, under the guard of the arquebusiers; but it was at last decided against doing so, and the old bellringer being called upon for the keys of the dungeon beneath, he speedily produced them. They then went forth; and descending a flight of stone steps on the left, came to a low, strong door, which they unlocked, and obtained admission to a large octangular chamber with a vaulted roof, and deep embrasures terminated by narrow loopholes. The light of a lamp carried by the bellringer shewed the dreary extent of the vault, and the enormous thickness of its walls.

"A night's solitary confinement in this place will be of infinite service to our prisoner," said the Duke of Shoreditch, gazing around. "I'll be sworn he is now ready to bite off the foolish tongue that has brought him to such a pass."

The butcher made no reply; but being released by the arquebusiers, sat down upon a bench that constituted the sole furniture of the vault.

"Shall I leave him the lamp?" asked the bellringer. "He may beguile the time by reading the names of former prisoners scratched on the walls and in the embrasures."

"No; he shall not even have that miserable satisfaction," returned the Duke of Shoreditch. "He shall be left in the

darkness to his own bad and bitter thoughts."

With this, the party withdrew, and the door was fastened upon the prisoner. An arquebusier was stationed at the foot of the steps; and the Earl of Surrey and Captain Bouchier having fully satisfied their curiosity, proceeded towards the castle gate. On their way thither, the earl looked about for Morgan Fenwolf; but he could nowhere discern him. He then passed through the wicket with Bouchier, and proceeding to the Garter, they mounted their steeds, and galloped off towards Datchet, and thence to Staines and Hampton Court.

THE MISER'S DAUGHTER.

A Tale.

BY THE EDITOR.

BOOK THE SECOND.

CHAPTER THE SECOND.

RANDULPH RECEIVES A LETTER FROM HIS MOTHER.-ITS EFFECT UPON HIM.HIS GOOD RESOLUTIONS DEFEATED BY TRUSSELL.

RANDULPH's mother had only written to him 'twice since his arrival in town,-for in those days ladies, especially country ladies, were neither so active nor so exacting in their correspondence, as at present, when one day, just as he was sallying forth on a pleasurable expedition with Trussell, a letter was delivered to him by Mr. Jukes, bearing her superscription. Glancing at it with some misgiving, he would have broken the seal, but Trussell, noticing his reluctance, and guessing the cause, advised him to put it in his pocket, and read it on his return at night." Good advice," he said, laughingly, "is all the better for keeping,its chief recommendation being that it is just as effectual a month afterwards, as at the moment given."

"If it had been a billet from Lady Brabazon, or Kitty Conway, he would have opened it without hesitation," remarked Abel, who stood by.

"To be sure," replied Trussell, "and he would have done quite right, because such a note would require immediate attention, and as a man of breeding he could not leave it a moment unanswered."

"And I am to infer, therefore, that a mother's letter is to be put aside?" rejoined Abel.

"Not exactly, sir," laughed Trussell; "but when one knows that it contains a lecture, one naturally feels indisposed to read it. That I suppose you can understand."

"I understand no such thing," replied Abel, tartly, "but I perfectly understand how excessive addiction to pleasure injures the best principles, and chills the warmest affections. Filial love and duty have little influence when dissipation has obtained the sway."

"I acknowledge the justness of your rebuke, uncle," said Randulph, "and will read the letter instantly."

"On no account," rejoined Abel; "pursue your first impulse. It will keep,' as my brother says, till to-night, and you may possibly be then in a better frame of mind for its perusal. When you have possessed yourself of its contents, I shall be glad to be made acquainted with them." And turning away, he retreated to the library.