His situation he found to be just this. He was inflamed with a passion for a girl who loved another, and whose father, if opposed to his daughter’s giving her hand to the man she loved, would certainly be averse to her bestowing it upon him. Especially as he had himself selected for her husband one of station, wealth, youth, and handsome exterior. It was simply assuring him that he had no chance of success whatever by fair means. Had he been in the western provinces of India, where he was for many years stationed, he would soon have settled the matter; as it was, he was in England, and abductions are not easy matters in this country. Yet abduction seemed to be the only course open to him. He bent his energies to the task of framing a plan, and he believed at last that he had succeeded in forming a scheme which was not susceptible of failure. While Mr. Chewkle was raving in bed, he quitted Harleydale, to make and perfect arrangements, and having completed them, he returned to the wood to effect, if possible, a secret interview with Flora and carry out his project. He had been two days on the watch, when Chewkle arrived in the wood from the inn. In the course of that morning they came, during a stealthy stroll, suddenly face to face. Instantly their eyes met each seemed to feel the other was there for an improper purpose. “Good mornin’, sir,” exclaimed Chewkle, with a playful nod. The Colonel eyed him sternly. “What are you here for?” he asked in a sharp tone. Chewkle bent a keen glance upon him. “I have as much right here as him--he’s after no good,” thought he. A rogue detects a rogue pretty-much as a detective does a thief, by the eye; and Chewkle after his inspection felt a little more at ease. Mires repeated his question. “That’s tellings,” answered Chewkle, putting his tongue in his cheek; “what are you here about, eh?” he inquired, somewhat impudently. “Insolent scoundrel, how dare you put such a question to me?” exclaimed the Colonel, angrily. “Oh!” returned Chewkle quickly, “I only returned the compliment. Look here, mister, I am old on the town and have forgotten more than a great many people will ever know, but I know this, that you are up to some dodge here”---- “Fellow!” “Ah, yes! that’s very good acting, but it ain’t natural enough to satisfy me that I am wrong. Now I don’t mind dropping to you that I _am_ down here on a spec, and, if it comes off right, it will be the making of me. So you see we had better try and help each other, than kick up a row, and bring about our ears a swarm of people we don’t want to see.”