Ere this rueful exclamation was well out of the Corporal’s mouth, a bullet whizzed past him from the hedge; it went so close to his ear, that but for that lucky stumble, Jacob Bunting had been as the grass of the field, which flourisheth one moment and is cut down the next! Startled by the sound, the Corporal’s horse made off full tear down the hill, and carried him several paces beyond his master, ere he had power to stop its career. But Walter reining up his better managed steed, looked round for the enemy, nor looked in vain. Three men started from the hedge with a simultaneous shout. Walter fired, but without effect; ere he could lay hand on the second pistol, his bridle was seized, and a violent blow from a long double-handed bludgeon, brought him to the ground. BOOK III. CHAPTER I. FRAUD AND VIOLENCE ENTER EVEN GRASSDALE.--PETER’S NEWS. --THE LOVERS’ WALK.--THE REAPPEARANCE. AUF.--“Whence comest thou--what wouldst thou?” --Coriolanus. One evening Aram and Madeline were passing through the village in their accustomed walk, when Peter Dealtry sallied forth from The Spotted Dog, and hurried up to the lovers with a countenance full of importance, and a little ruffled by fear. “Oh, Sir, Sir,--(Miss, your servant!)--have you heard the news? Two houses at Checkington, (a small town some miles distant from Grassdale,) were forcibly entered last night,--robbed, your honour, robbed. Squire Tibson was tied to his bed, his bureau rifled, himself shockingly confused on the head; and the maidservant Sally--her sister lived with me, a very good girl she was,--was locked up in the--the--the--I beg pardon, Miss--was locked up in the cupboard. As to the other house, they carried off all the plate. There were no less than four men, all masked, your honour, and armed with pistols. What if they should come here! such a thing was never heard of before in these parts. But, Sir,--but, Miss,--do not be afraid, do not ye now, for I may say with the Psalmist, ‘But wicked men shall drink the dregs Which they in wrath shall wring, For I will lift my voice, and make Them flee while I do sing!’” “You could not find a more effectual method of putting them to flight, Peter,” said Madeline smiling; “but go and talk to my uncle. I know we have a whole magazine of blunderbusses and guns at home: they may be useful now. But you are well provided in case of attack. Have you not the Corporal’s famous cat Jacobina,--surely a match for fifty robbers?”