"Something, I am afraid, has indeed happened," he cried in a voice of concern. "If you please, gentlemen, we will hasten forward." The shouts increased, mixed with the deep-mouthed tones of Argus: but not as they had apprehended, in a direction from the house. They, however, still hastened forward.--"It may be our fugitives," said the Captain.--"Ah! I hear Frederick's voice!" He now exerted his own, and in a few minutes, was joined by the wanderers. "Thank heaven, my dear uncle, we have found you!" said Frederick exultingly--"a circumstance, from the various accidents we have met with, beyond my hopes. But for this noble dog, we should most probably yet have been in a morass, we incautiously entered." The Captain could scarcely express his concern at the difficulties they had experienced, ere they arrived at the gateway, leading to the ancient though not extensive dwelling of the hospitable stranger. An aged man-servant attended the summons of his master: Sir Henry started on beholding him, and, anxiously grasping the Captain's arm, cried--"O gracious Heaven!--haste, haste, Captain!" and hurrying him past their kind invitor, entered the house.--The Captain had not time to ask the meaning of his behaviour, before Sir Henry, with a trembling hand, threw open the door of a parlour. A cheerful fire blazed on the hearth, round which were seated a gentleman, a lady, and two lovely girls. "Is that my Edward?" the lady asked; and, raising her head, discovered to the Captain, the features of his Ellenor! "My Ellenor!" he exclaimed, rushing to her, "Yes, it is your Edward! my loved--my long-lost Ellenor!" A scream of surprise and delight escaped her as he caught her in his arms, and faintly articulating his name, she sunk inanimate on his bosom. Mrs. Blond, who had been engaged in an adjoining room, alarmed by the scream, flew to the assistance of her friend, at the moment Mr. Talton, Frederick, and young Howard, entered the room: but the appearance of the former, in an instant obliterated every other idea, and, wildly clasping her hands, she stood the image of horror! "My mother!--Do I once more behold you?" said Sir Henry, hastening to meet her--but she heeded him not, her eye was fixed on Talton: nor was it till the repeated exclamation of--"Sir Henry! my benefactor!" roused her from her stupor. Franticly she threw her arms round Sir Henry; but Talton again attracting her eye, she as hastily pushed him from her, crying--"Fly--fly, my Harry; destruction awaits thee! It is Talton himself. Fly to Howard, he only can protect thee! Oh! Ellenor--Ellenor, ruin awaits us all." The surprise which had been depicted on the countenance of Mr. Talton, now yielded to embarrassment, as his name was faintly echoed on every side: Sir Henry vainly attempted to persuade them Talton was not an enemy: Mrs. Blond still urged him to fly, till overpowered by the agitation of her mind, she sunk in a state of insensibility on the floor.