his

way into the kitchen, and taking down his formidable sword that hung over the fire-place, stalked forth towards the road of approach, erecting his gigantic figure, grasping his weapon as if he would crush the handle, and wearing a terrible energy upon his features as he cried out, "I am blind like Samson, but I will not be bound with cords to make sport for mine enemies. Let me die with the Philistines! let me die with the Philistines!" Any dissuasions founded upon the self-sacrifice he was thus uselessly courting, Grace did not attempt to advance, because she knew they would be ineffectual, but by reminding him that such desperation would only excite suspicion, lead probably to the discovery of their guest, and certainly involve his family in destruction, he suffered himself to be conducted back to the house, and exchanged the sword for the spinning-wheel, repeatedly ejaculating, "His watchmen are blind-they are dumb dogs that cannot bark!"

His idiot son,

in the meanwhile, had no sooner learnt that the farm was menaced by the

soldiers, than he armed himself with a pitchfork, and marching up and down before the closet that contained his favourite whortleberries, ejaculated with great energy, "Charley fight for his whortleberries! Charley die for his whortleberries!" as if he thought the invaders could have no other object than to possess themselves of this luxurious store. Although he presented an appearance at once painful and ludicrous, his fantastical demeanour suggested to Grace an expedient for the escape of their guest, which might not perhaps have otherwise occurred to her.

After a short consultation with her own agitated thoughts, she desired Reuben to hurry up into the loft where he had slept, and change clothes with her idiot brother, whom she dispatched after him for that pur pose. Matthew was no sooner equipped in his new habiliments, than she explained her purpose, (for as she had always had him under her care, she had a clue to his apprehensions,) and bidding him make for the gap at Abbot's Point, and not suffer himself to be caught by the party whom she pointed out to him, he set off

instantly in the direction of the sea, proud of his commission, and eager to oblige one to whom he was more attached than to any thing else upon earth.

The feint succeeded perfectly. No sooner had the soldiers caught a glimpse of him in rapid flight, than they set him down for the unquestionable object of their pursuit, and cut across the Downs at full speed to intercept them. Shuffling and ungainly as he was in all his movements, the idiot possessed great strength of limb, and a proportionate speed, which deceived others from the awkward manner in which it was exerted. It is said that the lapwing, to decoy plunderers from its nest, will run along the ground with a drooping wing, as if it were wounded and unable to rise, until it has lured its pursuers to a safe distance, when it will soar into the air, and leave them in the lurch. Some such instinctive cunning suggested a similar device to Matthew, for seeing that he could outstrip his competitors at pleasure, he occasionally faltered as if exhausted, suffered them to approach him near enough to excite

their hopes, and then, with a low chuckle of triumph at the success of his manœuvre, bounded, and shuffled, and scrambled away till they were again distanced. In this manner did he hold them in chase till he reached Abbot'sPoint-gap, a spot where the lofty cliff had fallen in, and to such as were not very solicitous about their necks, presented a means of clambering, or rolling down to the shore. It had been a favourite resort of the idiot's, so that by leaping and sliding down in a sitting posture, soon found himself upon the beach, and would have pursued his flight, but that he was tempted to conceal himself behind one of the crags, to see how his pursuers would accomplish the descent. By assisting one another, and enduring a few falls and bruises, followed by the customary quantum of execrations from the sufferers and laughter from their companions, the whole party reached the shore, and seeing no boat in sight, they took it for granted that the chase had doubled the Point. In this direction they accordingly hurried forward, and the idiot, chuckling at his having outwitted them, re

mained quiet for three or four hours, and then walked very leisurely back to the farm.

Reuben, in the mean while, attired in Matthew's homely habiliments, quitted the farm after a profusion of thanks to his noble-hearted friends, interrupted by their vows and prayers for his safety, and walked rapidly forwards in an opposite direction from the sea, so as to remove himself as far as possible from the party that were pursuing the idiot. Once more he found himself a homeless and houseless wanderer, proscribed by the Government, hunted by military and other bloodhounds for the price that had been set upon his life, and with as little apparent prospect of effecting

his

escape from the enemies that beset him, as when he first fled from the field of Sedgemoor. Weary of these derogatory disguises, and of a furtive existence so repugnant to every feeling of his nature, he felt tempted, in very desperation, to bring his fate to immediate issue, by hastening to the shore, and attempting to bargain with some of the fishermen for his conveyance to Holland. If he succeeded, it were well;