At the same time they caught sight of the badge on his hat.
These intimidated their ardour more than the drawn poniard.
"A Nevile!" said one, retreating.

"And the jolly marksman who beat Nick Alwyn," said the other, lowering his bludgeon, and doffing his cap.
"Gentle sir, forgive us, we knew not your quality.

But as for the girl--your gallantry misleads you." "The Wizard's daughter! ha, ha! the Imp of Darkness!" screeched the timbrel-girls, tossing up their instruments, and catching them again on the points of their fingers.

"She has enchanted him with her glamour.
Foul is fair! Foul fair thee, young springal, if thou go to the nets.
Shadow and goblin to goblin and shadow! Flesh and blood to blood and flesh!"-- and dancing round him, with wanton looks and bare arms, and gossamer robes that brushed him as they circled, they chanted,-- "Come, kiss me, my darling, Warm kisses I trade for; Wine, music, and kisses What else was life made for ?" With some difficulty, and with a disgust which was not altogether without a superstitious fear of the strange words and the outlandish appearance of these loathsome Delilahs, Marmaduke broke from the ring with his new charge; and in a few moments the Nevile and the maiden found themselves, unmolested and unpursued, in a deserted quarter of the ground; but still the scream of the timbrel-girls, as they hurried, wheeling and dancing, into the distance, was borne ominously to the young man's ear.

"Ha, ha! the witch and her lover! Foul is fair! foul is fair! Shadow to goblin, goblin to shadow,--and the devil will have his own!" "And what mischance, my poor girl," asked the Nevile, soothingly, "brought thee into such evil company ?" "I know not, fair sir," said the girl, slowly recovering her self; "but my father is poor, and I had heard that on these holiday occasions one who had some slight skill on the gittern might win a few groats from the courtesy of the bystanders.