"I do not know," answered Clinton, leaning his elbow on the mantel-shelf and shading his face.

"You have been to the clergyman's house?"

"Yes; and the licenses had been purchased of him three hours ago, and he saw my father and Roberts turn hitherward when they left his door."

"He has met with some acquaintance who has detained him," suggested Mr. Lee.

"It is hardly likely he would allow himself to be detained while upon such an errand," argued Clinton.

"It is a very strange circumstance," remarked Lady Hester, and the others acquiesced. The candles had burnt low in their sockets and were replaced by whole ones; the fire was replenished; the supper was sent away; and another tedious hour sped its course-still the Pirate was absent.

A quarter to one chimed the church clocks of Montreal. The busy house of public accommodation was at rest; the multifarious business of the day had been all discharged; and servants and employers, guests, hosts, and attendants, were each and all retired to seek in sweet oblivious slumber that refreshment for nature's wearied powers which is one of the choicest boons granted to mankind. All was still-profoundly still-only in this room were there any signs of the tumultuous existence of humanity. Here sat the two young couples, on the eve, as they thought, of their union for life; sometimes, as a footstep sounded on the pavement outside, starting up to look into the street through the window-panes, which the frost of midnight was fast spreading with a thick white crust impenetrable to vision, and decorating with drooping icicles; then returning disappointed to

their seats to catch from each other again the swift contagion of hope or alarm for the Pirate's safety, alternately yielding to each, while exchanging conjectures, some wild and improbable enough, as to the cause of his unaccountable stay.

But now it became too certain that he had fallen into some evil, for the night was already expired, yet he was absent, and his servant too.

66

My beloved Hester-my dear sister-you had better retire to bed, if only for a short period," urged Clinton. "Mr. Lee and I will then go out and endeavour to procure some intelligence of him."

"I cannot sleep until I know where my father is !" ejaculated Jane.

"Clinton counsels well," said Lady Hester, pitying the agony of suspense with which his sister was racked. "Come, Jane, I will take you to my room, and if you cannot sleep, at least lie down, and try to quiet your perturbed spirit.”

"I would rather remain here until I know what has happened," murmured Jane, as the hour of four sounded dismally on her ear. "O heaven! where-where is he!" she exclaimed, clasping her hands together.

"We must be patient, my dearest Jane," reasoned Arthur, supporting her tenderly. "The Lord will not lay upon us more affliction than he sees to be necessary."

Clinton quoted from one of the old English dramatists for her encouragement, a passage laudatory of fortitude in times of great trial, and forcing smiles, which his heart was far from prompting, kindly compelled her to retire with Lady Hester.

Mr. Lee and himself then resolved to wait in the hotel until the morning should be a little more advanced, which they did, and then proceeded together to visit every place in the town where the Pirate was at all known, to make inquiries after him.

At nine o'clock they returned without having met with the remotest intelligence of the object of their search, and the dreadful thought glanced across the mind of Clinton that he had destroyed himself. Upon communicating this idea to Mr. Lee the latter strengthened it by the declaration that for several hours he had entertained a like suspicion. However, these suspicions were happily groundless; as they entered the sitting room, Jane started forward to meet them with a small piece of paper in her hand, which she gave to her brother with a look of breathless excitement, and he read these hurried words in the Pirate's handwriting :

“I was met last night by Toby and Merry, who had come on foot from Rougemont to tell me officers had searched my mansion by warrant, and were there waiting to take me prisoner. The honest fellows advised me not to lose a moment's time, but to leave the town at once, as the hotel would be watched immediately. I have taken their advice, and to be the more safe, have determined to keep Roberts with me. I do not dare to tell you here whither I am gone, lest this paper should chance to fall into adverse hands. Do not let Jane be too fearful about me. Keep up one another's hearts, and hope that all will end as we wish it. Enclosed you have the licenses. Let the marriages be performed as we settled, and accept a father's heartiest wishes for your happiness."

"Then the mystery is at an end," ejaculated Clinton, much relieved.

"And he has got out of the way of his enemies," joyfully remarked Jane.

"For the present," hinted Lady Hester, with less evident pleasure than they evinced. "I think it would have been better if the Marquis had been guided entirely by Mrs. Markham. Had there been any immediate danger here she would certainly have apprised him of it yesterday."

The others thought differently, and believed it was almost certain that the Pirate would now, having received such timely information of the movements of the Governor and his people, hide himself effectually until the fury of the dreaded storm should have subsided.

"But now to make use of these," said Clinton, archly, holding up the licenses.

"Oh, no! we shall have nothing to say to them now," cried both the ladies at one time.

"Indeed but you must," pleaded the gentlemen.

Indeed, but we will not," persisted the ladies. "We cannot think of allowing you to revoke your consent," pressed Arthur.

"Faint heart never won fair lady," langhed Clinton. "Faint heart or strong," retorted Lady Hester, you will not win us without-"

"No conditions-no conditions," repeated the determined suitors.

"The Pastor must be our clergyman, and the Marquis must enact the proper part of a father for us at the altar, as was first intended," said Lady Hester. "Do not think we are to be persuaded out of this."

The pleasant controversy had not terminated when, just an hour before her appointed time, Mrs. Markham presented herself. Her kindly countenance looked troubled, and she anxiously asked—

"Where is the Marquis?"

A few words sufficed to relate his disappearance and to produce his note.

"Did I not bid him stay within the hotel ?" demanded Mrs. Markham, with vexation and uneasiness in her gestures. "What had he to do with fetching your licenses? I am angry with you all. You have not acted by my instructions, and my schemes for serving you are defeated."

"I hope not! Oh, I hope not!" exclaimed Jane. 1 "I was afraid of it!" sighed Lady Hester.

"I told the Marquis distinctly not to quit Montreal," resumed Mrs. Markham." If he had abided by my instructions he might have been preserved. Now it is doubtful-very donbtful. The Governor has been more prompt than I expected, and it will be very difficult for the object of his keen pursuit to escape him. But come, you must find some safer lodging than this hotel, for in a few hours it will be searched, and you will all be put under arrest as having been intimate with the Pirate. I will show you a place where you will be free from notice, and where the Marquis—foolish, foolish man that he is in having deviated from my directionsmight have lived safely during the heat of the chase.

Lady Hester promptly sent her maid to the proprietor of the hotel for her bill, and discharged it forthwith. Clinton did the same on the part of his father, his sister, himself, and Mr. Lee, and the party left the hotel with