“Hold!” cried Bernard, laying his hand on her arm. “Dost know I could save thy father?” “Canst thou?” inquired Evaline, with great earnestness. “But if even thou canst,” she added, mournfully, “thou wilt not.” “What of him that sent thee to me?” said Bernard. “Dost thou not know, from the opposition of your creeds, that there is between you a great bar, and that thou shalt never wed him?” “Wed him?” echoed Evaline, tremulously. “Thou lovest him!” answered Bernard. Notwithstanding her excessive alarm, Evaline, whether because she was taken by surprise, or from some more secret cause, could not repress a slight blush, and her eyes sank before the earnest gaze of her interlocutor. “Thou lovest him!” repeated the latter. “And for thy sake, lady, I will even befriend a Papist. Thy father shall be set free.” “Alas, Sir!” answered Evaline, “he is now, I fear me, beyond thy help. He has been removed to London.” “Go thou also to London, then,” returned Bernard. “I will follow thee; and again I promise thee, on my troth, he shall be given his liberty.” The confident tone in which he spoke, with the assurance she had received from Hildebrand, on his first naming him to her, that he would be able to render her the most eminent services, and which assurance now came to her recollection, did not pass Evaline unheeded. His altered manner, too, which had suddenly become kind and compassionate, had an effect upon her; and, being so different from what she had looked for, called up in her bosom the liveliest expectations. Nevertheless, her voice faltered in her reply. “Oh, thank you! thank you!” was all she said. “Didst thou come hither by thyself, lady?” resumed Bernard. “Even so,” answered Evaline. “The sheriff’s men are at the Grange, waiting to apprehend my cousin, Don Felix di Corva; and I thought it best to steal out unnoticed.” “Thou didst well, and bravely,” returned Bernard. “But ’tis a lonely road, and, if thou wilt give me leave, I will be thy conductor home.” “Thou wilt make my heart light, an’ thou wilt,” said Evaline, eagerly. “No more!” answered Bernard. “Let us on!” They set forward accordingly, and, without resuming their discourse, proceeded to the road. Thence they passed down the adjoining hill, at the extremity of the churchyard, into Neville Park, and so on to the vicinity of the mansion. Bernard drew up when they came nigh the mansion. “I will stay here, lady,” he said, “and watch thee in. When dost thou purpose to go to London?” “To-morrow,” answered Evaline. “I know not where I shall be lodged; but thou canst learn that, if thou wilt take the trouble to inquire, of Master Gilbert, the attorney, in the Inner Temple.” “I will not fail thee,” returned Hildebrand. “God give thee a good night!” “And thee also,” replied Evaline.