blue ribbons on the nets which protected them from the flies. By the Earl sat Johnny in high feather, and inside were the Marquis and Marchioness, Lady Florence, and Ellen Ravensworth. Several equestrians rode by the carriage, chatting and laughing with the fair occupants, and now and then spurring on to catch up some other vehicle. Conspicuous among the horsemen were the Captain and Edward L'Estrange,--the former wore the same garb he had appeared in amongst the haymakers; the latter, instead of a white kerchief, wore a scarf of the finest Indian texture for a turban, and the crimson silk, figured with gold, showed off his dark countenance to perfection; they were both mounted on splendid animals, which they managed with all the grace and ease of finished horsemen. "Let us take a short cut over the park; I know a by-road to the spot," said the Captain, turning his horse and putting him to the wooden wattling which he cleared with scarcely an effort, and quickened his pace into a gallop, followed closely by L'Estrange over the smooth grass. A ten minutes' freshener brought them to the by-path, and here they checked their panting coursers to a trot, and finally a walk, as they entered the road upon which they guided their horses whose blood was now up, and who impatiently paced along, snorting, tossing their heads, and champing the bits. "So ho! gently, Terror, old boy, gently," said the Captain, patting the lithe arching neck of his beautiful black hunter, who snuffed the air through his thin transparent nostrils, and struck the ground as if burning for the chase, while his eye dilated and seemed to flash fire. As if he understood his master, the noble Arab stepped out more calmly, and the Captain said, "Archy Forbes is a smart fellow, a very knowing fellow, by my soul, and will prove a great help. I have engaged him for my own particular servant, and sent my old man about his business." "Do you not think we have too many in the plot?" remarked L'Estrange. "No, I cannot say I do. There is Musgrave, as safe as wax, no fear of his betraying us. Old Forbes, my foster-father, would sooner hang than breathe a word, he is a dog that will not open cry falsely. There's Stacy, a gallows bird that will not tempt the light! Archy is as unapt to give out a secret as the rock is to unlock its waters. The only one I fear is Antonia, or Juana if you like; a woman's tongue is the unsafest keep going." "I fear not Juana," replied L'Estrange; "a whisper from her would cut her own throat." "It might, indeed, were she rash enough to inculpate me," said the Captain, with a cruel laugh. "We must push on, Ned, or some of these carriages will overhaul us before I have seen old Stacy."