I hope, however, you believe me; for I earnestly assure you, I never laid eyes on her but that once." "I believe you," said Sir Norman, with another profound and broken-hearted sigh, "and I'm only too sure she has been abducted by that consummate scoundrel and treacherous villain, Count L'Estrange." "Count who ?" said Hubert, with a quick start, and a look of intense curiosity.

"What was the name ?" "L'Estrange--a scoundrel of the deepest dye! Perhaps you know him ?" "No," replied Hubert, with a queer, half musing smile, "no; but I have a notion I have heard the name.

Was he a rival of yours ?" "I should think so! He was to have been married to the lady this very night!" "He was, eh! And what prevented the ceremony ?" "She took the plague!" said Sir Norman, strange to say, not at all offended at the boy's familiarity.

"And would have been thrown into the plague-pit but for me.

And when she recovered she accepted me and cast him off!" "A quick exchange! The lady's heart must be most flexible, or unusually large, to be able to hold so many at once." "It never held him!" said Sir Norman, frowning; "she was forced into the marriage by her mercenary friends.