O ye who by crime were never stained, And tho' all are doomed to a foreign clime, And tho' most their thousand crimes have done, Forget not that at least in Heaven's eye But the sun upon both shines bright and warm, ROB THE RED-HAND. CHAP. IV. J. N, Terrified and amazed, Reginald knew not whether he was under the influence of a dream or not. He felt Rob's strong and sinewy grasp; and he saw, by the dubious light of the flickering candle, the prostrate form of his treacherous host. He felt, also, that he was carried along in Rob's arms, with as much ease as a maiden carries a young babe; and he soon breathed the fresh and pure air of the hill-side. This served to recall his scared and scattered senses; and he found himself unhurt and scathless. He requested to be put down, and his request was instantly complied with. grasped Rob's hand. 'My preserver!" he said, "How much do I owe you for this miraculous interference!" 66 66 He Aye, lad!" answered Rob, "Your young heart is grateful now :a time may come, when you may curse your preserver." "Never-never! Robert Owen," and Reginald shed tears, for now that he had recovered from the immediate shock of the adventurer, he was strangely moved at his deliverance. "Aye; weep-weep on, young heart! Thy tears are not tears of sorrow now. But what will save thee from the common lot of humanity, and make thee less wretched than thy fellows? I have saved thy life-and if that life be wretched, wilt thou not curse me for preserving it, when all the pangs of losing it was past? Another moment and "Forbear! Forbear!" exclaimed Reginald, as he placed his hand This was not more than two miles from Glanwern, and in about half an hour they approached the rocks amongst which it was situated. The spot was well known to them all; but Reginald, being the most anxious of the party, led the way, which task he found to be none of the most trifling. The approach to Rob's domicile was over a ridge of stunted black rocks, which, at high water, were nearly immersed in the tide, and which at all times were covered with slippery sea-weed and slime. In places on their surface, were deep clefts, over which it was necessary to jump, and frequently the opposite ridge was so sharp and narrow, as scarcely to admit of two persons standing side by side upon it. It required, therefore, a steady foot, and a quick eye to perambulate these barriers; both these requisites were possessed by each individual of our party, and, aided by their long hunting-poles, they made good progress towards Rob's lair. After passing over two or three layers of the ridge, they reached a rock, broader, higher, and more craggy, than any they had yet passed over. It shot up into the clear morning sky-a huge pyramidical barrier; and the young men were now at a loss which way to proceed. After a sharp scrutiny, Reginald descried a small, narrow track-path it could not be called-which wound round one extremity of the rock, between the furze and heath, and it was wet, slippery, and therefore perilous, from the rain which had fallen in the night. Without hesitation, however, he ascended, and was followed by his companions, one after the other, as the track was not wide enough to admit of more than one person at a time. Reginald reached the summit of the rock, and found himself ou the brink of a steep, high, and almost perpendicular precipice; and another step would have precipitated him to the depth of some hundred feet. They all expected a different termination to the path, for, in their anxiety and haste they overlooked, what was now sufficiently evident, that they had been pursuing a goat-track, which led only to the top of the rock, where two or three of these venturesome animals, startled at this intrusion on their solitude, fled swiftly down the very path, which they had just ascended. What was to be done now? It was about these rocks that they had often seen Rob, flitting in the twilight, like some restless and unhappy demon. His dwelling could not possibly be below, as there was a large extensive turberry, stretching in every direction before them; and there did not seem to be any means of access to it from the rock. Their deliberation was speedily at an end; and it was resolved that they should return, and endeavour to discover his retreat in their way back. This was equally fruitless and unsuccessful. No vestige-no trace whatever of human habitation, or even of human existence, could they discover in this little wilderness: all was desolate, silent, and barren. Reginald shouted the name of the strange being whom they were seeking: the rocks alone sent back the sound in a prolonged and vexatious echo. "He shall hear if he be within reach," said Reginald, as he fired one of the pistols, which he had in his belt. The sound returned alone, magnified by a thousand harsh and loud echoes, that mingling with the screams of myriads of aquatic birds, which the report had disturbed, caused a chaos of noises, which would have roused the Seven Sleepers, had they been within hearing. "We must go back as we came, I fear," said the elder Meredith, "I see no chance of finding Rob here." "Nor I indeed," replied Reginald; "fool that I was to have parted with him as I did! But I will find him," he continued, as he reloaded his pistol; "and if I do not get some satisfactory arswer, this," placing the loaded weapon in his belt, "shall be his portion. But we must return quickly, or the tide will hem us in." And, so most assuredly it would, had they delayed much longer; for it was already flowing most rapidly, hissing, boiling, and foaming round the stunted black rocks in angry vehemence. Speed, swift and silent, was in accordance with the agitation and hurry of the young men; and they sprang over the narrow fissures between the rocks with so much energy and agility, that they quickly regained the shore. Hastening to Glanwern, they soon reached the house; and their mortification and anxiety were increased by the unsuccessful return of the party, that was despatched to apprehend Evan and his family. Not a soul had they found in the house, and no single particle of information had they obtained, which could lead to the discovery of their retreat. The men had ransacked the house, but had found nothing beyond a few articles of the most ordinary domestic kind; and although they had inquired at every hut and cottage in the neighbourhood, they could learn no tidings of the miscreants. Reginald now remembered that, on an occasion which we have mentioned, Rob requested, or rather commanded him to seek him alone, if ever he wanted his assistance or advice; and alone did he proceed thus to seek him. He retraced, with a hurried step, and a flashing eye, every step of the road we have described; and found, to his great annoyance, upon his arrival at the river-side, that the tide had cut off all communication with the dwelling of his kinsman. He sat down in despair upon one of the heath-clad rocks, which overhung the rippling waters, and, absorbed in painful reflection, awaited with intense anxiety the slow-ebbing of the tide. From this reverie he was aroused by the well-known voice of his kinsman, who exclaimed in his deep, peculiar tone-“Have you had enough of misery? I told you of it, and I suppose you will now believe me?" Reginald rose hastily from his reclining posture, and the flash of passion beamed from his dark eye. "Robert Owen!" he said, "I have sought you, and I have found you! Tell me, where is Jane t Meredith?" "You asked me the same question once before, and I answered you," said Rob, as he stood unmoved before our hero, "and I will answer you now-Am I a fit person to hold a woman's secret, or to hold a woman's person?" "Rob, you trifle with me-you provoke me. Tell me at once, and without any further equivocation-where is Janet Meredith?" A scornful and bitter laugh was all that Rob vouchsafed to this inquiry; and Reginald drew the pistol, which he had loaded, from his belt. But Rob changed not his demeanour-it was still scornful-decisive-defying."Boy!" he exclaimed, while a strange smile overspread his grim features. "Think you to frighten me with that deadly weapon,-or would you murder your Preserver? Put up your pistol-its bullet would not harm a wretch like me.' Reginald's passion was subsiding, and Rob perceived it. "Kinsman!" he said, as he placed his hand on the youth's shoulder"You seek Janet Meredith-your love-your darling. Dare you face danger to "I will dare any thing-every thing!" interrupted the impetuous youth, his eye sparkling with delight at the hope of obtaining his beloved mistress at any risk, and by any means, however perilous. "I will go this instant, even alone, and, thus, almost de fenceless 66 Hold, young Sir!" interrupted the Red-Hand, in his turn"Your young blood is too hot and hasty-you cannot go now, and I must make conditions!" "Name them, then!" Oh! this suspense is worse than torture! For God's sake, name them!" "To meet me an hour before midnight in the glen by Evan Jones's cottage-and to meet me, alone.' "I will-and 66 Stay-you must promise, too, to do nothing but what I shall direct. You must obey me in word and deed, and mention nought of this to any living creature." "I will promise-all-every thing." "Put a brace of pistols in your belt-those will do-for you may have need of them. You will be punctual, resolute, and alone. Remember, alone! And, now, farewell-the tide has ebbed, and your path is now free." And so saying, Rob, pointing authoritatively in the direction of Reginald's homeward path, departed himself in an opposite direction, and was soon hidden from his young kinsman's view by the dark stunted rocks already mentioned. LINES TO TASMANIA. (Written for the Prize for the Van Diemen's Land Annual.) A song for the land where the kangaroo bounds A song for the land which the ocean surrounds, Where the hills are so green, and the vales are so fair, That the emigrant gazes with boundless delight, 'Tis a feeling of pride which his bosom pervades, But the dark-minded exile-how fares it with him? To him 'tis a prison-shut in by the sea. But enough of the picture-'tis sweet when the day When the sun's parting beams look aslant o'er the town, Where the waves flow in music, and break at your feet. 'Tis sweet, when the wattle tree's branches are seen, 'Tis sweet, when the moon from her silvery throne, Rapid is the progress Tasmania has made J. S. THE CONFESSIONS OF EDWARD WILLIAMS. I was passing through the fine old town of Shrewsbury, on my way to Holyhead, when I found every tongue ringing with a subject of awful interest, which had just occurred there. As in these, my peregrinations, I generally took up my quarters at the comfortable domicile of my old friend, and schoolfellow, the Rector of Old St. Chad's, I hastened thither on the present occasion, well knowing I should hear a full, true, and particular account of the occurrence aforesaid, as my reverend friend was a complete living |