It was a disconcerting discovery enough, but Tregenna, furious at the conspiracy thus formed against the representatives of law and order, did not scruple to follow it up. It was evident that the hiding-place they had found for their vessel had been looked upon by the smugglers as safe and sacred, for no steps had been taken to guard it. Tregenna opened the wide door of the coach-house; and inside, as he had expected, he saw the hull of the unfinished boat. Without a moment’s loss of time he went straight up to the house, where he fancied that the butler who admitted him looked at him askance, as if with some suspicion of his errand. The squire himself, however, while affecting the greatest astonishment and indignation on hearing that the smugglers’ boat had been placed in his stables, was evidently in a state of extreme trepidation as to the course Tregenna meant to pursue with regard to himself. The lieutenant, however, thought it better to receive his assurances of innocence as if he believed them, thinking that this would be a lesson strong enough to cure the squire of complicity with the smugglers. Squire Waldron was, of course, particularly civil to his unwelcome guest, pressing him to stay to dinner; an invitation which Tregenna accepted at once, in the hope of meeting Joan. Then the squire made haste to rid himself of his guest by presenting him to the ladies in the music-room, who again, as on a previous occasion, loaded him with hypocritical expressions of horror at the smugglers and their conduct. Certain rumors of the adventures of the previous evening had reached their ears from the Parsonage, and they all endeavored to worm out of Tregenna the exact details of his visit to Rede Hall, and of Joan’s late ride. “They do say, you must know, dear Mr. Tregenna,” lisped one young lady, with a prim little ghost of a malicious smile, “that Joan Langney was so afraid you were gone to make love to Ann Price, who is reckoned a great beauty in these parts (though I am sure I ha’n’t a notion why), that she cantered after you on horseback!” “The forward thing!” cried Miss Lucy. “But maybe ’tis not true!” said Mrs. Waldron inquisitively. “Do, pray, tell us how ’twas, sir,” went on Miss Alathea, playing affectedly with her fan. “’Tis no breach of confidence; for you and she were seen to return to the Parsonage together, late in the evening. So ’twill make the best of a bad business to let us know the circumstances!” “A bad business!” echoed Tregenna hotly. “Nay, madam, ’twas a very good business for me! Since, if Miss Joan had not been good enough, knowing I was going thither, to ride to Rede Hall and release me from what was practically imprisonment at the hands of the scoundrels who infest that place, I should scarce have got hither alive!”