person whom they had rescued from the dogs, and Henry with disgust, shame, and astonishment, recognised his kinsman Gaston St Clere. This discovery he communicated in a whisper to Lord Boteler; who commanded the prisoner to be conveyed to QueenhooHall, and closely guarded. Meanwhile he anxiously enquired of young St Clere about his wound.

"A scratch, a trifle!" cried Henry; "I am in less haste to bind it than to introduce to you one, without whose aid that of the leech would have come too late.-Where is he; where is my brave deliverer ?"

Here, most noble lord," said Gregory, sliding from the palfrey, and stepping forward, " ready to receive the guerdon which your bounty would heap on him."

Truly friend Gregory," answered the young warrior," thou shalt not be forgotten; for thou didst run speedily, and roar manfully, for aid, without which I think verily we

had not received it. But the brave forester, who came to my rescue when these three ruffians had nigh overpowered me, where is he?":

Every one looked around, but though all had seen him on entering the thicket, he was. not now to be found. They could only conjecture that he had retired during the confusion occasioned by the detection of Gaston.

"Seek not for him," said the Lady Emma, who had now in some degree recovered her composure," he will not be found of mortal, unless at his own season."

The baron convinced from this answer that her terror had, for the time, somewhat disturbed her reason, forbore to question her; and Matilda and Eleanor, to whom a messenger had been dispatched with the result of this strange adventure, arriving, they took the Lady Emma between them, and all in a body returned to the castle.

The distance was however considerable, and, before reaching it, they had another alarm. The prickers, who rode foremost in the troop, halted, and announced to the Lord Boteler, that they perceived advancing towards them a body of armed men. The followers of the baron were numerous, but they were arrayed for the chase, not for battle; and it was with great pleasure that he discerned on the pennon of the advancing body of men-at-arms, instead of the cognizance of Gaston, as he had some reason to expect, the friendly bearings of Fitzosborne of Diggswell, the same young lord who was present at the May-games with Fitzallen of Marden. The knight himself advanced sheathed in armour, and, without raising his visor, informed Lord Boteler, that having heard of a base attempt made upon a part of his train by ruffianly assassins, he had mounted and armed a small party of his retainers, to escort them

to Queenhoo-Hall. Having received and accepted an invitation to attend them thither, they prosecuted their journey in confidence and security, and arrived safe at home without any further accident.

CHAPTER V.

Investigation of the Adventure of the Hunting-A Discovery-Gregory's ManhoodFate of Gaston St Clere-Conclusion.

So soon as they arrived at the princely mansion of Boteler, the Lady Emma craved permission to retire to her chamber, that she might compose her spirits after the terror she had undergone. Henry St Clere, in a few words, proceeded to explain the adventure to the curious audience :

"I had no sooner seen my sister's palfrey, in spite of her endeavours to the contrary, entering with spirit into the chase set on foot