of all I could say.

moon.

And now here you are, and there is the What a nice place you, have here, Harry-quite

enviable.'

'To look at,' said his cousin.

'I doubt whether you

would like it upon further acquaintance?'

'Yes I should,' said Penn. 'I should like to live here amazingly. I wouldn't have staid in New York another day if I could have got officer's quarters here.'

How should you like to take my place here for a while, Penn?' said his cousin looking up.

'Like it? of all things! But where are you going?'
'Out of town for a few days.'

"To-morrow?' said Penn.

'No; I find I cannot get away to-morrow. But whenever I do.'

'Of all things, as I said before,' repeated Penn. 'I wish you had a dozen such places, that I might fill them all.'

'I think you will find one answer your turn,' said his cousin.

'But where are you going?' said Penn, his pleasure halfswallowed up in curiosity.

'Out of town, as I said.'

6

'I

'I shall be very happy to do anything I can, then,' said Penn, but I can't conceive what should take you away.' Which, however, Mr. Raynor did not tell him. 'Everybody is going away I think,' said Penn. stopped at Miss Arnet's to-night, and she was out of town. Gone off quite suddenly, the waiter said. Sent for-he didn't know where. Harry, you look sober-what's the matter? Certainly you don't care about Miss Arnet?'

'Not much,' said his cousin.

'Then I say what's the matter?'

""There came a great wind from the wilderness and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell," Mr. Raynor answered as he turned away.

Penn looked after him, but seeing the Bible which Mr. Raynor had now taken up, he thought that possibly it had been in his hand before, and that he had but read aloud.

CHAPTER XXXVI.

O nuncle, court holy-water in a dry house is better than this rainwater out o' door. In, nuncle, in.—King Lear.

THERE was no clock in Mrs. Hopper's house to strike the hour, but stillness did the work as well and said that it was very late; past midnight, the stars would have added, had they been visible. But it was raining heavily though with little wind: the rain came straight down from the clouds and dripped straight down in double measure from the trees. One little stream of light shot out into the damp air from an upper window of the house, but below all was dark and shut up and silent; and even the old house dog, who early in the evening had howled a little for low spirits, now indulged in a sounder sleep than usual, lulled by the badness of the weather. But as he lay stretched at length in the little back porch-which was indeed a small shed-there worked into his dreams a pattering that seemed not wholly of rain-water. And Trouncer first raised his head, and then uttered a short gruff 'Ough!'—after which he got up and walked to the shed door to take an observation.

There was not much to be seen. Night's curtains were all let down, with a fringe of mist and a thick lining of rain-water. And in that steady pour one would have said there was little else to hear; but Trouncer clearly perceived that horses' feet were coming along the road, and soon caught the glimmer of sparks from their iron shoes; and again he growled and pointed his ears and bristled up. But when

TWO MEN IN THE RAIN.

339

the horses stopped just before him he stood absolutely still, with only that same smothered and gruff ejaculation. He seemed to have made up his mind that a beggar on horseback did not exist in real life, and that thieves would be more wary; therefore when two dark figures presented themselves at the entrance, Trouncer did not fly at them, but merely gave the closest personal attendance. And bestowing an honest sort of pat upon the dog's head, one of the strangers passed through the porch and knocked at the inner door,a single rap, not loud but given with great distinctness.

The knock aroused Mrs. Hopper; and immediately her window went up and her nightcap went into the rain. 'Who's there in the shed?'

Two men in the rain,' said a comfortable voice- --a little disturbed withal; though its owner was stamping softly about the shed and whistling until disturbed by the question.

6

'Well, they'll have to stay there till morning,' said Mrs. Hopper. Night's the time for folks to sleep in.' This aint the place,' said the voice. 'Therefore let's in.' Then as if to some one else "Thou'dst shun a bear, but if thy flight lay toward the raging sea, thou'dst meet the bear i' the mouth." To her again.'

'Friends for Mr. Clyde,' said another voice from the darkness, going back to Mrs. Hopper's question and answering it anew.

'Friends for Mr. Clyde,' she repeated; well, I dare say he wants 'em bad enough. Who are they?" 'Come, come!' said the It's damp here, good woman.

6

first voice, open your doors.

"In such a night to shut me

Mrs. Hopper closed the window.

'Jerushy!' she said, 'start right up and clap somethin' on to ye-here's visiters at the door; and afore I open it

do

you

hide in the passage, and if they get the upper hand o' me, you kin rouse the house. Hope they won't rouse it themselves, knocking.'

The strangers however seemed as cautious as she could desire, and stood in patient silence while she raked open the bed of coals on the kitchen hearth, and tried to light a candle. But either the coals were poor, or the dampness of the night had found its way down chimney; for though Mrs. Hopper picked up one coal after another with the tongs, and presenting her candlewick blew till she was unknown colours in the darkness; nothing came of it but a shower of sparks, and they fired nothing but her patience.

'Of all nights in the three hundred and sixty-seven !' she said throwing down the tongs, as a second knock made itself heard, but softly as before. Fetch the gun, Jerushy.' 'Mother,' said a half-stifled voice from the passage,' are you there?'

'Where on the face of the airth should I be?' said Mrs. Hopper. Fetch the gun!'

'Aint you scared mother?'

'I do believe you'd shy at your shadder, if there was light enough!' was the reply. And marching past her daughter with as swift and steady a step as though it were noonday, Mrs. Hopper soon returned with the gun, and kneeling down in the faint glimmer which the dying embers sent forth, she as soon had out the flint and therewith struck a light. That done she opened the door.

The strangers entered with no leave asked, without even throwing off their dripping cloaks; though indeed it had been difficult to bestow them in the outside darkness. Mrs. Hopper the while scanned them earnestly with her light, and was not long in finding out that she had seen one of them before; though as she afterwards told Jerusha, 'she couldn't tell when nor where, if her life was to pay.'