“Plead her cause,” repeated Coverdale; “that means, because her husband and his accomplice have been so obliging as to destroy my game, and murder, or half murder, as the case may prove, my head keeper, she considers it my duty to support herself and family, I suppose; she has brought this irresistible baby as a safe dodge to work upon your feminine susceptibilities; and, with thorough woman’s logic, she has persuaded you to look upon her as a suffering innocent, and upon me as a tyannical oppressor. Now confess--is not this the truth?” “No, really it is not,” replied Alice, eagerly. “I own I think you, from your passion for field-sports, take rather an exaggerated view of the crime of poaching; but I quite feel as you do, that wounding poor Markum was a cruel and cowardly act; still, revenging it upon this family will not benefit him nor ourselves.” “I don’t wish the people to starve, of course,” returned Harry, moodily, “though I should imagine the young woman and her brats can scarcely have got through all the game in her larder yet. I should not mind starving on hashed hare and broiled pheasants’ legs myself for a week or two; however, if the poor girl really is in want, I have no objection to your relieving her, but do not be imposed upon, darling, that is all that I mean to say.” The kindness of her husband’s manner, and the good-natured way in which he appeared willing to support the family of the man who had injured him, served alike to remove Alice’s fears, and to lead her to overrate the extent of her influence with her husband; so, leaning her arm on his shoulder, while with her other hand she smoothed back his clustering hair, she continued, “What a good, kind boy it is, though it does growl sometimes. But now, to show you that my _protégée_ is not seeking to impose on me for the sake of obtaining money, I will tell you that her petition was for quite a different object, and one creditable alike to her feelings as a wife and a sister: she wants you to act as only a high and generous nature like your own would be capable of acting--she implores you to pardon her husband and her brother.” “To do what!” exclaimed Harry sharply, a dark shade coming across his features. “To let off two of the men who were engaged in this unlucky business--her husband and her brother--not to prosecute them, I mean,” returned Alice, removing her hand from her husband’s shoulder and preparing to “hold her own,” in the dispute she foresaw impending. “And their names:” inquired Coverdale. Alice repeated them. “As I expected,” resumed Coverdale; “the man who fired the shot and his accomplice, who, more guilty than himself, urged him to do it. Now, ask your own good sense, Alice, and reflect a moment before you answer. Even were I willing, can I in common justice let these fellows off?” “Oh, yes!” exclaimed Alice, without a moment’s deliberation; “it is so great--so noble to forgive an injury! Revenge is but a mean, petty feeling, after all.”