"Durn me, ef I don't b'lieve she's goed out to meet some un'; an', maybe, that same fellar as shot the snake! Who the red thunder kin he be? By the Eturnal, ef't be so, I'll put a eend to his snake shooting! "Whar _kin_ the gurl be? I shall look all night, or I'll find her. She ain't in the orchart, or I'd a seed her comin' through. An' shurly she ain't goed across the crik? Maybe she's strayed up behint the stable or the corn-cribs? I'll try thar." The hearts of the lovers, so long held in a suspense, almost agonising, began to beat more tranquilly as they saw him pass away from the spot. It was but a short respite, lasting only the time occupied by Jerry Rook in taking ten steps. A hound, beating about the field, had strayed up to the tree and poked his snout into the cavity where they stood concealed. A short, sharp yelp, followed by a growl, proclaimed the presence of something that ought not to be there. "Yoicks! good dog!" cried the ci-devant hunter, quick harking to the cry. "What you got thar?" Hastily returning to the tree, and stopping in front of the dark entrance, he continued-- "Somebidy inside thar? Who air it? Lena, gurl, is't you?" Silence broken only by the baying of the hound. "Hush up, you brute!" cried his master, driving off the dog with a kick. "Hear me thar, you inside! 'Tain't no good playin' possum. Ef it's you, Lena gurl, I command ye to come out." Thus summoned, the girl saw it would be no use disobeying. It could serve no purpose, and would only end in her father stepping inside the cavity and dragging her angrily forth. "I'll go," she whispered to her companion. "But stay you, Pierre, and don't stir! He'll think I'm alone." Pierre had no chance to remonstrate, for on speaking the words, she stepped hastily out, and stood face to face with her father. "So, so! I've foun' you at last, hev I? An' that's the hole in which ye war hidin', is it? Nice place that for a young lady, as ye think yurself, at this time o' night! An' a nice party yer been hevin' clost to ye! Come, gurl! No denial o' what you've been doin'; but give an explanation o' yurself! How kim ye to be hyar?" "O, father! I was walking about. It was such a beautiful night, and I couldn't sleep. I thought I'd come out into the field and have a stroll down here to the old tree. I was standing under it when I saw them coming up--Alf Brandon and the others--" "Wal, go on!" "I couldn't get back without their seeing me, and as I was afraid of them, I slipped inside the hollow." "An' ye war thar all the time, war ye?" "Yes; all the time." "Wal, and what did yur hear?" "A great deal, father. It'll take time to tell it all. If you'll come on into the house, I can repeat better what was said by them. I'm so frightened after what I heard, I want to get away from this horrid place."